


Star Wars: The King's Return

by Captain_Kiri_Storm



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, And Not His Brother, Beating, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Dungeon, Forced Pregnancy, Fox is so done, Gen, Hand Feeding, Lawless AU, M/M, Mpreg Darth Maul, Physical Abuse, Psychological Torture, Quote: You're Gonna Have a Bad Time (Undertale), Rape, Rape Aftermath, Savage Respects the Strong, Sith Empire, Starvation, The Author Regrets Nothing, Torture, Why Did I Write This?, graphic birth, please read the tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2018-10-17 12:29:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 22
Words: 24,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10594044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_Kiri_Storm/pseuds/Captain_Kiri_Storm
Summary: This is a Lawless AU.Maul didn't know what went wrong. One moment, he had Kenobi at his feet. And the next, his Master was there and choking the breath from his lungs. His brother was on the floor, a lightsaber through his gut. Lightning hit Maul and his world exploded into agony.When he awoke, he was within the dungeons of Mandalore. Sidious asked him what he would do to save his brother. Maul had answered with "anything" and he meant it. Once again, Maul was just a pawn of his Master. Once again, his Master held his life in the palm of his hand.Beaten, broken, and starving. There might be a light at the end of this tunnel, but Maul might not be able to see it





	1. Mandalore

Water dripped from the walls of the cell. Maul huddled as close to himself as he could, his eyes squeezed shut. It was almost pitch black in his cell and far from the warmth a Zabrak needed. He shivered as best he could, his naked form almost purple with cold. He had worn his nails almost to the breaking point, trying to claw at the heavy Force collar on his neck. His Master had been able to render him senseless without even breaking a sweat. It had taken his Master almost nothing to have Maul, flat on his back, and nearly bleeding out. His brother, lying beside him with a lightsaber through his belly. His Master had walked through the throne room calmly, without even breaking his stride.

" _What would you do for your brother_?" he had asked. He had stood over his brother's bleeding form and choked him, making the other Zabrak gasp and pant. Maul had cried out the best he could. " _Well? What would you do for him, you little worm_?"

" ** _Anything_** ," Maul had gasped back. " _I would do anything for him_." And then it had all gone black. Maul had awoken in this cell, stripped naked and chained to the wall. He had tried to fight at first. He had snapped at his Master and bitten his wrists. But that night, his brother had screamed. Sidious had dragged Savage over and yanked Maul by the horns. He had been forced to watch as several loyal Acolytes beat the Zabrak. How they had whipped him and made Savage scream. The blood that had spattered from the sound and the awful sound of a crunching horn. Maul's wails had joined his brother. Savage had reached out with the Force, trying ti grab for him. Maul had reached back and only hit a solid wall.

Someone entered the cell block. Maul curled up as best he could, trying to conserve his warmth. The chains rattled as he moved a little bit. He could heard the harsh chuckle. Maul gritted his teeth and tried to stop the hot tears from burning his face. He could smell food with the Sith. The Zabrak's stomach gave a snarl. Maul dig his claws into his palms. He tried to ignore the scent, but it was almost too hard. He screwed his eyes shut. His Master seemed to take pleasure in wrenching Maul's arms over his head. The last time he'd done that, he had ripped his arm out of it's socket. Maul had felt agony before, but not pain like that. He had felt that agony when he managed to repair his legs, using an ancient Sith ritual. Now his restored limbs were tucked under his body, useless and broken.

The light flashed on. Maul gave a yelp and curled his head into his arms. After so long in the dark, the light was like a burning brand to his eyes. The Zabrak forced himself to look up, his eyes watering. His Master stood in front of him, arms crossed. Dark robes pooled around him like a slick of black oil. Maul shivered in the chill air. He looked up, golden eyes wide and vulnerable. His belly growled in hunger. His Master held a small bowl of raw meat. His stomach might have once twisted at the thought of eating something with the blood still in it, but years of hunger hand trained him otherwise. Maul shuddered and ducked his head down. His Master entered the cell and ran one hand over the Zabrak's bony back.

"Open up," he said. The man's voice rang with false cheer, but Maul wasn't going to fight him. The welts of numerous beatings ran across his back and side. He shivered and obeyed. His Master popped a bit of raw, bloody meat in his mouth. It smelled horrible, but Maul still ate it. He forced himself to choke the meat down, telling himself not to bite his Master. It tasted worse than it smelled and made his shrunken stomach fight him. Maul grimaced. Sidious made him lick his fingers off and smiled as Maul chased the blood and bits of flesh. "If I knew you made such a pretty slave, I wouldn't have bothered training you." He reached down and tugged the twin rings through Maul's chest. "I like you like this."

Maul yelped. "M-master!" He couldn't stop himself from crying out. It had **burned**! He shuddered and curled up as best he could. But Sidious wasn't having any of that. He motioned to the guards. An Acolyte grabbed Maul under the arms and started dragging him to the stocks. Maul made a yelping noise. He tried to struggle, but it was to no avail. His broken feet trailed uselessly behind him. Maul hung weakly in the man's grip. "Master! Please!" His throat was parched from not having enough water, but he was still trying. "Please, Master..."

Sidious grabbed one of his horns and twisted, sending a spear of pain throughout the Zabrak's body. Maul gave a scream, but he fell silent. His Master watched as Maul's emaciated body was bent over and locked into a sort of stand. Maul closed his eyes, knowing what was coming next. A beating. Or, more likely, his Master had come up with another sick way to torture him. The meat in his stomach made him gasp. He whimpered and tried to clutch his belly, but his hands were restrained. The bile burned in the back of his throat. Maul tried to wail, but a gag was forced in his mouth. He was almost aware of where he was, but most of his mind was concentrated on not throwing up around the gag.

Something hard nudged his abused entrance, Maul closed his eyes and tried to close his legs, but he couldn't physically move his body. The Zabrak forced his mind away from the event, trying to keep away from the splitting, burning pain that seemed to consume his entire body. The Acolytes had already had their way with his body. Why would his Master want anything different? His body tried to expel the unwanted intrusion, but Sidious powered through that. Maul screwed his eyes shut. He tried to ignore the tears in his eyes, but his Master just powered on.

"He's crying!" one of the Acolytes said. He turned to the others, possibly smiling beneath his mask. Maul didn't bother reaching out with the Force. Not even as he felt the muscles tear and scream. His Master finished after what seemed to be an eternity. The Sith left him there, though, left him spread out and vulnerable. Maul had his eyes screwed shut as rough hands abused his body. They seemed to think it was all fun and games. Maul wasn't even sentient to them, just a toy given to them to be used. He wasn't even alive. Maul was so close to the breaking point, so close to giving up.

He wondered why he bothered to fight anymore.


	2. The Pains of Having Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet the clones...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know, all clones have dark hair... HOWEVER, for the sake of REASONS...Fox is a ginger

Fox pinched his nose and looked at the band of rejects staring right back at him. He considered slamming his head against the steel console. Not once, not twice, but a grand total of three times. Why? Because some _di'kut_ of a nerf herder had decided that it was a really good idea not to tell the general population that DEath Watch was dead in the water. According to what few scraps of information Fox had been able to gather (and they were paltry scraps indeed, much less than Kamino would consider feeding the clones), there had been a Sith fight in the palace. Right after Maul, currently Public Enemy Number One for the GAR, had decided to play Macbeth (whatever that meant) with Obi-Wan Kenobi's heart.

More specifically, he stabbed the Jedi's heartbeat. Personally, Fox thought Kenobi was a decent guy. A little conceited, for sure, but what Jedi wasn't? He wasn't half bad as a general, of you believed what Cody said. Though Fox personally did _not_. Most Jedi had the sense to tell when their clone commander was starting to get the hots for them. It happened. It was natural. You were right up close and personal with the _vode_ and you tried to save each other's lives daily. Kenobi had reportedly freaked out about this when Cody brought it up. That had been followed by an hour long lecture about the Jedi Code, morals, and why it was considered a bad idea to promise a Jedi you would make knives out of their girlfriend's killer's horns.

Then Cody threw flowers at Obi-Wan and stormed off. Needless to say, things in that legion got real frosty, real quick. Fox hadn't been there, nor had Hardcase, but Thorn had been. Thorn also had a talent for picking up fragments of the weirdest information. Somehow, possibly by design, Cody had gotten Obi-Wan flowers that meant "I like you, Let's do it now". The last time Fox heard about the famous bouquet, Yoda had it. Though if the little green troll knew what they meant was anyone's guess.

"Which one of you messed with the dash?" Fox looked out, over his band of defective clones. Hardcase, the hyperactive Clone Jail survivor. Thorn, the klepto. Aster, the one clone who ran from a fight and tried to hide under the table. Sketch and Skillet, the twins. Though they weren't really twins now. Thanks to a Seppie IED, Sketch now had a twisted leg. Skillet had broken his jaw and wound up on the soft foods diet for a solid month. Fox zeroed in on Thorn. As much as that stupid little defective _shebs_ had saved his in the past, Thorn got annoying. If it was bright, if it was shiny, if it looked somewhat interesting, or if you left it on the counter...it wound up in Thorn's pockets. He had pickpocketed one too many Jedi and wound up on the barge to be destroyed.

Thorn kicked the really ugly carpet. "Uh...I'm not sure?" He gave Fox a helpless shrug. "Aster did it!"

The blonde jumped, like he expected to be slapped. "N-no! I-I didn't! I'm s-sorry, sir! It w-wasn't me! H-honest!" He cowered away from Thorn and shot his brother a glare. When he thought the other clone wasn't looking. Aster wasn't brave enough to mess with the dash. Fox had no idea why he hadn't been destroyed before the Jedi Knight Alari Wolfe had gotten tired of him. Supposedly, Aster took a lot of work and he got clingy. "I p-promise I didn't touch it!"

"I know you didn't," Fox soothed. He rubbed his forehead and looked over the cold, dead space. They had all had to run away. Otherwise...it would have been death or the mines of Kessel. The Jedi had the AgriCorps. Clones had the meatbarges that didn't care if you were still alive before starting to process you. The stories Fox had heard... The ginger clone crossed the room and pulled Aster into a hug. Too late, he realized the clone was sobbing. It was all Fox could do to awkwardly hold him. No, clones had not been taught how to deal with things like this. And why would they? Clones were expected to fight and die, not run away. It was so hard sometimes for Fox to remember who the enemy really was.

Hardcase shook his head and looked over the coordinates. "To me, it looks like we miscalculated a jump. It's pretty easy to do, I saw Krell do it a thousand times." He shuddered and looked away. Clones never liked thinking of those who had sent them to their doom.

Fox nodded. "Then we need to fix it." He let Aster go and looked over the instrument panels. The ginger could read, which was rare for a clone. He was so thankful for the Guards who had brought books and datapads, mostly to help clones like him learn how to do a very basic skill. So he could look at all this stuff and know what it was. It made his life and the lives of his men so much easier. He loved them, he really did. They were his family, the reason why he had ran away from Kamino. They could have shot him out of the sky, but his brothers had saved themselves. Fox thought they could take on the galaxy, he was so proud of his little found family.

"Next stop, Mandalore," Sketch murmured. The clone limped off to go to sleep. Fox didn't follow him, mostly because he was worried of what he might find. Death Watch was gone. Fox had no Plan B. He had no idea what he was going to do now. Though...he supposed it wouldn't hurt to see the city his father came from, right? Every clone wanted to see Sundari City. And now... Fox was going to do it.

He just had to get a decent ship, that was all. Get rid of this old thing and make sure that they couldn’t be traced. Fox allowed himself a rare smile as he loaded the coordinates. This…was going to be so much fun.


	3. Trapped

Maul choked around his Master, trying to ignore the way his body felt. How long had he been here? Three weeks? Four? The constant torture and the feeling of his own violation, the blood that never stopped dripping off of him and the way his body stunk after that **_monster_** emptied himself inside the broken Zabrak, He would have done anything to get to eat. Anything to get to have food beyond the rancid scraps of meat that his Master saw fit to give him. The human gave an experimental stab, making Maul cough and gag around him. His throat burned and flexed. For a few seconds, the Zabrak thought of biting the man, of letting him know just how much this hurt and how much he hated it.

Sidious spilled inside of Maul's mouth, forcing the Zabrak to swallow all of it. Master coughed and sputtered, trying to get air into his starving lungs. The human calmly pulled the black robes around himself again before running his hands down Maul's bony back. The Zabrak stayed still and allowed it. How could he fight back? How could he break free of this Master and all the things that would be done to him? Maul wrapped his arms around himself, hating the taste in his throat. His Master had a cold grin on his face, enjoying the feel of the misery. Once, long ago, his Master would have picked Maul's chin up and told him to let the pain and abuse fuel his Mastery of the Dark Side. Now? Sidious just looked at him.

And it ** _hurt_**.

"You wounded me." Sidious didn't leave, nor did his hands reach for the ration bars he had brought. Maul's belly turned at the thought of eating those things. They were made for species able to eat grains. Maul couldn't. He was a Zabrak and he could only eat meats and vegetables. They were carnivores. But Maul had grown up eating the bland, tasteless ration bars. He was used to his stomach twisting in pain every time he ate. The human cleared his throat again. "Look at me when I speak to you, boy." The Sith spoke in his smooth, clear voice. It was a sign that you needed to be careful and tread lightly. "I said that you wounded me. First by betraying our existence to the Jedi. Then, by all your failures to finish the job with Kenobi."

"I'm sorry, Master," Maul rasped. His bony red body shuddered. He tried to look up, but the heavy leather collar kept his neck bent in the gesture used for submission. Maul blinked tears out of his golden eyes. The human snorted and his hands wandered down, rubbing against the nubs of his nipples. Maul gritted his teeth, trying not to moan like a whore. His master had placed rings through them, making it look like he was always aroused and ready. Was it a way for the old Sith to fool himself that Maul was willing? He hissed and tried to move back, only to be stopped by a slap across the face. Maul whimpered, his head dropping as much as it was allowed too. "I-I'm sorry, Master."

"I wonder how long it would take until your milk came in." Sidious carried on like Maul hadn't moved, like blood wasn't dripping from Maul's nose. But there was a cold gleam in the man's eyes, a gleam that made Maul shiver. Sidious continued stimulating the small buds, rolling his thumbs over the pert tops until a clear liquid starting leaking out. The piercings made that hurt, though, and Maul whimpered in pain. "What's this?" Sidious pulled his hands back and looked at the dripping fluid like a Kaminoan scientist. "If I'm not mistaken...you've been rubbing at yourself." Sidious smirked and kept rubbing and pulling on Maul's chest. The Zabrak tried to twist away. This hurt! "I've heard that Zabrak milk is the sweetest you can drink. Perhaps I need to ask Queen Miraj for a sample."

Frighten golden eyes met yellow. "M-master?" Maul stammered. He was too thin to be bred and it to take. And even so, if it could take...his body ached with the release Sidious had already left in him. It always seemed to be dripping out of him now. His Master made sure to use Maul's body "like a clone uses a Twi'lek whore". Sidious seemed to think it was okay. Maul just wanted to please his Master and forget this ever happened, so he was willing to submit if it meant that he would stop being hurt. "Please...please don't s-send me to Zyggeria!" His voice rose to a wail at the last part and his shackled hands tried to grab at Sidious' robes. The human cursed and jerked away. "Master! Please!"

Sidious kicked his former apprentice in the stomach, making him roll back. Maul's golden eyes locked with his until he was slapped again. Sidious bent down to Maul's level and gave a slightly saggy pectoral one final squeeze. Maul yelped as more clear fluid shot into Sidious' hand. "You will go to Zyggeria if that pleases me," Sidious hissed. His hands looped around the collar and he gave Maul a nasty smile. The Zabrak shuddered. "If I want you too, I'll send you there as fat as a puffer pig and turn you into a kitten machine."

"A-as you w-wish, Master," Maul stammered. He curled up as best he could, his stomach aching. He had never been with child before and he had heard that the bitches were left in barns. Sidious had made sure that Maul knew every little disturbing detail of the breeding pens on Nar Shadda and Zyggeria. Maul closed his eyes. He wouldn't want his kitten to be treated like he had been if he had a choice. But who was Maul fooling? He had no choice. He was to obey his Master, even if that meant he was to die giving birth.

The Sith nodded and dropped the bowl in front of Maul's bound hands. The Zabrak didn't care and simply launched into the meat, eating like a dog until he couldn't force anymore meat into his swollen stomach.


	4. Sundari City

Fox had no idea why he would ever want to go to Sundari City. Mandalore wasn't as ripped up as Coruscant was,  but it was pretty close. Mandalore had been torn up by wars. Coruscant got ripped up because it was the home of sixteen billion odd people. There were very few laws that protected the environment on Coruscant. It wasn't like Danu, which had several thousand laws designed to keep the floating city of Brynnja alive and well. That planet had some pretty nice nature parks, too. Fox actually liked the place. Fox tried to keep away from them, though. He just wanted to be left alone. The ginger clone needed to grieve over Fives' death. He hadn't meant to kill the older clone and had sworn up and down that his blaster was set on stun.

He walked through the crowded city. There was a big blonde ARC here, a man named Almec, and he was supposed to be close to Maul. Fox needed to find him and talk. The ginger clone really did want to get away from the GAR. He had been hurt by them way too much. They had tortured him in training. He had been whipped and abused, forced to do things when he was too young. But the ginger supposed that was the way of it. They trained Zabrak kittens to pleasure others or to take a knot. If you could do that with a kitten, you could do with that with a clone. Fox still hated it. He walked through the crowded streets and ducked a clothes line. He looked around in awe, trying to take in all of the chaos. This was so different than the cold, sterile world he saw used too.

A child chased a dog under his feet. Hardcase walked beside him, his gaze snapping all over the place. Scruffy dark hair had grown in and almost covered his tattoo. The clone looked like he just wanted to go running all over the place. His gaze went straight to a place called "Cindy's" and whined softly. Fox smelled the roasted bantha burgers. He started drooling softly. Aster started vibrating and made a pleading whine. It would have taken a heart of stone to ignore the clone and refuse to feed him. Fox thought for a moment and dug through his pockets. He had just enough for burgers and shakes for all of them. Skillet would love the shakes. So would Sketch. Fox counted out his credits again and walked over. The stand looked like it was doing a good business.

"I'll need five bantha burgers and five small shakes." Fox bounced around on his feet and paid up the credits. Hardcase grabbed his and promptly got himself a strawberry shake. Fox sighed softly and got his own food. Their dinner had taken literally the last credit they had! He sighed a little bit more and started to find a god place to eat. But the food tasted good and he was dripping juices down his chin. Fox had never eaten food like that before! He was so used to eating plain ration bars, though. Those things were enough to make you gag. But this stuff? It was actually really good! Fox licked off his fingers after he was done and settled back to watch the other clones. Aster sighed softly and cuddled with him. His hazel eyes closed after a few minutes.

A big blonde man sat beside them. He set his jaw and looked the ginger clone square in the eye. "Your stealth could use some work, _vod_."

Fox started a little bit, but recovered. He looked the blonde over and noted how scarred up his face was. It took him maybe a second before he saw whoever the clone was. So it looked like the HoloNet had gotten a few things right after all. Almec was alive and well after all! "Almec. It's been, what, three years? How the hell have you managed to get away from the bounty hunters? Slick didn't last three _days_!"

Almec turned around and leaned over. "I made two friends, Fox. I made two friends and then I kriffed up."

"I kriffed up too," Fox softly said. He swallowed and looked down. He had gotten Fives killed. That poor clone did nothing wrong! He had literally just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. He had been ordered to shoot Fives as a way to prove his loyalty to the GAR. As it was... he had messed up. Fives had paid the price for Fox's sins. The poor clone had never done anything wrong. Fox had just been forced to do something he didn't want to do. "I really kriffed up and I hurt a good friend of mine."

"Mine got taken by someone who's gonna breed him." Almec ducked his head down and looked at him. The blonde rubbed his scar a little bit as he looked at Fox. "Death Watch is dead. You can thank Kenobi for that. But Maul and Savage? They aren't dead, _vod_. At the very least, Maul is alive. I know for a fact that he's going through hell right now. That damn Zabrak saved my life and I'd like to return the favor." Almec bit his bottom lip as he looked around. The ARC had always been obsessed with Mandalore, to the point that he gave himself a _Mando'a_ name. Almec dragged a hand through his shaggy blonde hair. "I'm not gonna leave him. He pretty much slapped some sense into me. I need to help him!"

"I wanna hurt the GAR," Fox snarled. There was something predatory in his hazel gaze. "And this is the best way to do it, isn't it?" Almec nodded after a few minutes. Fox cast his gaze at his motley little group of rejects and defects. "Good. Then count me in."


	5. For the Heart that Holds On

Maul pressed into the few rags he was given. He was always cold now and he needed whatever few scraps of warmth he was given. Maul was too tired to fight back. His body ached and his ribs jutted out of his clammy skin. His red hide, once as bright as fire, was now as dull as cold embers. He hadn't seen his brother for weeks now. And he needed his brother. He needed Savage. He needed to remember what it felt like to be cherished and loved. He hadn't been able to keep food down recently and had hurled what little went down. The Zabrak turned his head as he considered the implications. He knew enough about pregnancy to figure that he was with child. But what could he do to hide it? It had no signature in the Force, not that he could feel it. And his Master didn't know. If his Master, who was almost all powerful, couldn't tell that he was pregnant, who could?

The red Zabrak's stomach growled in hunger. He wanted to twist away and hide, but he couldn't. He had to stay here and do what his Master told him to do. Maul was so tired of fighting that he just wanted to give up. The month or so of torture, rape, and starvation had stolen his will to live. Maul didn't know what he would do it his body really was carrying another life. It was almost too much for him to think. It Maul _was_ with kitten, he wouldn't know what he'd do. It was too cold here for him to give birth and both of them to survive. But Maul was starting to make milk. He had discovered the pleasure of rubbing his chest. If his Master did it, he roughly jerked and forced the whitish liquid to spatter on the filthy floor. If Maul did it, he was always slow and careful with it, mostly just enjoying the little bit of pleasure.

Someone opened the door at the far end of the complex. Maul heard the metal grate open and his heart dropped to his bare feet. He wrapped his arms around himself. He had to get out of here! Would his Master beat the kitten out of him? Maul had no idea why, but he snarled. He wrapped one skinny arm around his belly. It wasn't swollen, not by a long shot, but he was going to protect that kitten! Maul had no idea if this was a true pregnancy or just a phantom, but he felt the long muted emotions flare to life. He growled softly. The chain on his collar rattled on the filthy, blood spattered floor. It was spattered with other things too, but Maul didn't want to think about those. He set his jaw. He was going to get out of here and he was going to take his kitten with him.

Boots walked down the filthy hall to where he was held. Maul bowed his head. Who was he fooling? If he couldn't protect his own _brother_ from Sidious, why did he think he could protect his kitten? Maul gritted his teeth. He understood a lot of what Kilindi had gone through. She had told him about being a slave when they were both children. She thought nothing of being chained up and karked. Maul, even then, had felt that was wrong but said nothing. Maul smelled something different from the musty sweetness of his Master. This one was sharp and clean. It was the smell of the wind, the smell of freedom. Savage smelled like flickering embers, warm and comforting. But this...this smelled far different from the stench of rot and decay that cloyed his delicate nose. Maul drew back. He held his flat stomach with one protective, clawed forearm.

He could hear at least four of them. Maul took a shuddering breath. He just wanted to get out of here. Light flickered on the wall. Someone was moving something. A little bit of Maul hoped it was Death Watch. He quickly dashed those hopes, though. Pre Vizsla's people would take him and abuse him just like Sidious had. Maul's stomach started to turn and just barely threatened to toss up what little he had down it. There were voices, too. Soft voices talking in _Mando'a_ about...finding someone? For a few seconds, he allowed his hopes to rise up. Had Almec come for him? Had a few of his loyal troops decided to try and find him? As much as Maul wanted to be free, he had to warn them. Sidious had a lightsaber and they just had blasters.

Never bring a blaster to a lightsaber fact. Jango Fett learned that the hard way.

The boots stopped in front of his cell. Maul looked up, terror in his golden eyes. It took him a few minutes before he realized that he was looking at hazel eyes instead of golden and there wasn't the sweet stench of his Master. Maul forced himself to look up. He felt very tired and just wanted to die. He had been through too much. His body had been violated and starved. He had been through things that no one should. He just wanted to curl up and die. This could kill him. His Master could come back and take him back.

But Maul still took the offered arms and the help. They had to cut the collar off and it felt like a thousand pounds had been taken off his body.


	6. A New Hope

They had to help him walk. It wasn't that Maul didn't _try_ , it was that his legs folded under him with ever step he took. The clones didn't seem to mind. They knew he was in pain. How couldn't he be? His ribs stuck through his skin, he was starving before their very eyes, his body was broken and tired... Maul could go on. He needed to just roll over and die already. Why couldn't they just let him go? He was so tired. So, so tired. He could hardly keep his eyes open and instinctively curled his body into the man holding him. The ginger, Maul thought his name was Fox, brushed one gloved hand over Maul's head. He offered the Zabrak some water. Maul drank it greedily, hoping against all hope that there wasn't any strings attached to this drink.

"Easy." Fox soothed his head a little bit, his voice calm and sure. Maul had no way of knowing that his Master had left for Coruscant and had no intentions of caring for his prisoners beyond just telling the Acolytes to do it. The Acolytes didn't care. They would have happily left both Zabraks to starve. "You're gonna choke yourself. It's okay, the water isn't going to run away from you." But Maul just kept drinking. He chugged from the water until it was completely dry. After that, he whined a little and looked up with bleary eyes. His Master had taught him well. Did these men expect him to be strong? Would they just leave him? He wasn't able to fight. It would be _months_ before he recovered, if not years. "I promise you. You can have more water, soon."

Maul nodded as the clone picked him up. His broken claws scrabbled for purchase on the man's shirt. He clung on for dear life, his chest heaving. "My...my brother..." Maul started coughing harder. The clone frowned and rubbed his chest. He couldn't see this clone (and the others) as mindless meat droids like his Master did. They were in the process of saving his life! "We h-have to save him!" Maul buried his face in the clones chest, drinking in the smell of the wind and stars. He he had been more aware of himself, he would have seen that he was scenting the clone. Bonding with him, maybe? Maul didn't know. He sagged into the clone, shaking. "We have to save him. We just _have_ too."

Fox nodded and helped him up. "Is he in here?" Maul nodded and pointed with a shaky hand where he thought Savage was. The Zabrak just wanted his brother. NHe wanted the sweetness he still tasted on his tongue at night, he wanted the faint memories he had before his mind was healed by Talzin. Maul whimpered softly as Fox jostled his broken body.  The clone was trying to be careful, but it wasn't working out so well. The problem was that Maul had several broken ribs and a fractured collar bone. The slightest bit of jostling caused him extreme pain. Fox had decided to pick said Zabrak up, bridal style. As much as Maul wanted to hold him close, he couldn't take the pain in his ribs or neck. He had to be strong, though. Had to be strong so his kitten could grow up free.

Another clone dropped beside Fox. He gave Maul a look before he turned to the ginger. "We found another Zabrak, sir. He's pretty big, a little on the thin side, but still healthy. I'd say we just take him and let this one live or die. I thought Darth Maul was red, not yellow!"

Maul blinked. "I'm Maul." He twisted around in Fox's arms, hissing from the pain. Fox, for his part, helped support the battered Zabrak. That clone, though, clearly didn't believe him. He gave Maul a very strange look. Maul looked up at Fox and saw the same doubts. Then it hit him. Had Savage, the brother he had sacrificed everything for, had he told these clones that **he** was Darth Maul? And that the _real_ Darth Maul was just some knocked up, broken breeding bitch? "I am! The yellow one is my brother!" He twisted around a little more and gasped when he saw several more clones. And...and he saw Savage. Savage limped. His own skin was dull instead of glossy, but he was _walking under his own power_. "Brother! _Please_!" Maul tried to twist out of Fox's arms, but the clone tightened his grip. "Brother! You have to tell them--!"

Savage growled as several more clones joined then. He was supported by s shivering blonde. The blonde seemed to like him and offered Savage a shy smile. The Zabrak ignored him. "You're no brother of mine!" He crossed the distance between them, his strong legs eating up the ground. Maul grabbed Fox for more support. He could smell Almec, but he couldn't see his friend. Savage growled and slashed the wounded Zabrak across the face. "You're _weak_! **_Look at you_**! You're letting this man carry you!" He growled again, his eyes flashing Sith yellow. Maul looked at him in a stunned terror. "You don't deserve to be my brother! For all I care, you can rot here! I could have died with honor! And you know what you did?! You took the witches' _magick_ from me! Asajj won't want me when I look like this! You took my lightsaber! Where am I going to get a new one, hmm? And you left me here to be beaten by that _monster_ you pleasured!"

The clone with the facial tattoos took Savage by the hand. "We need to go. You two can hash this out later. But we need to go and the last thing I want is to get captured."

"I'm sorry." Maul blinked through the mixture of blood and tears on his face. Savage just walked away from him, a cold fury in his every step.  "I'm sorry!" Maul wailed the words. He couldn't stop the tears from flowing, nor did he want too. Fox just carried him. The clone said nothing. Maul felt cold dread settle in the pit of his stomach. The red Zabrak was young for a race that lived two hundred years. He certainly was fertile enough to make a kitten. Sidious had always taunted him with that fact and said that Maul could never be a man because of it. It felt like the Zabrak's heart was breaking as he was carried into the sunlight. He shielded his eyes the best he could and watched as blood and tears marred what was once a clean shirt.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been like that. Maul knew he must have blacked out, because he found himself sitting in a tub of water. He was naked, but that was to be expected. A clone with a twisted leg gently rinsed off his head before he cleaned off the lacerations on his shoulders. Maul shuddered to look at the filthy brown water. But when he looked down, his legs were clean. He looked healthy down there. Maul poked his belly, but wasn't surprised to find it was still its shrunken self. The Zabrak looked up in shame. Here he was, the famed Lord of the Sith, and he was so broken he couldn't even _wash_ himself. Maul twisted his head and looked away. He didn't deserve this. Savage was right, too.

"You're awake." The clone offered him a smile and helped the trembling Zabrak out of the warm water. He was rinsed off one more time and gently dried. Despite the nerves, Maul let himself enjoy the pampering and started to purr. Without the collar on, he could feel the man's intentions. "I'm Sketch. Fox and Hardcase thought you would do better if I helped you." He gave Maul a pained smile. "We're not getting rid of you because your disabled, okay?"

Maul nodded. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" Sketch looked a little confused. "That brother of yours is a complete _shebs_ , okay? Before you do anything drastic, take his words with a grain of salt." Despite his twisted leg, Sketch carried Maul back to a bunk that felt like a cloud compared to a cold stone floor. "You'll get strong, I know you will. I have faith in you." He tucked Maul in after that and left what looked like a Jedi Lightsaber shaped night light plugged into the wall. As much as Maul appreciated the gesture, he didn't want to look weaker than he was. Maul flipped the light off and wrapped himself in the blankets.

He was asleep before his head hit the pillows.


	7. Second Thoughts

In all of his wildest thoughts, Fox had always thought that Darth Maul would be strong. After all, the guy survived being chopped in half and dropped down a reactor shaft on Naboo. He survived almost starving to death on Lothal and he survived the Nightsister witches without completely losing his mind. He even survived getting a cave dropped on his head on Florrum. So why did the guy look like he was death warmed over? He could hardly _walk_ , for crying out loud! Fox had next to no idea what a sick Zabrak needed and the last thing he needed was the snark from the brother. If that had been _his_ brother, tortured and abused for who knew how long, Fox as sure as hell would have been by his side the second they were set free from that cell.

He glanced back over at the bubbling pot. Fox was running off the basic idea that Zabraks and humans were nearly the same underneath. That was, they all had pretty much the same digestive systems. He looked down at the bubbling pot of oatmeal and added the honey to it. He'd heard that Zabraks were mostly meat eaters, but he was betting that they could eat most human foods. After all, the horn heads were near human. Fox stirred the pot a little as he read the evening news. Some druggie had been shot by a peace officer in a bad Coruscanti neighborhood. The issue was, the druggie was a human and the officer some weird alien breed. Fox had been in that neighborhood and he knew that the shooting wasn't motivated by hate, but the talking heads would never get that through their thick skulls.

Fox got a bowl of the food, cooled it in the freezer unit, and went to go look at his broken prize. As he expected, the broken body of Darth Maul was curled into the piles and piles of blankets and pillows. A quick glance at the supply closet saw that Maul had been using the Force to grad the stuff. Along with a heating pad, too. Not that Fox blamed him. After all, it had been cold in that cell and Zabraks were known for needing quite a bit of heat. Fox hummed softly as he settled beside the Zabrak and cleared his throat. Maul looked around with tired eyes before struggling to pick himself up. Fox helped him and pressed the first spoonful to his lips. The guy had broken fingers, it wasn't like Fox could force him to feed himself.

Maul twisted his head a little, looking cross-eyed at the food. Fox groaned and started trying to get him to eat. Maul whimpered. He was sticking his nose up to food and the poor guy was skin and bones! He had to eat, like it or not! Fox got tired of the game and pinched the Zabrak's nose. Maul opened his mouth to breathe. Fox plopped food in there. After that, Maul submitted meekly to the feeding. Maybe it was the method that irritated him. Fox sure knew that he would not have liked to be handfed, that was for sure! He scraped out the entire bowl and got Maul to eat every last scrap of it. He also gave the Zabbie a bit of milk to drink. That Maul chased to the last drop and actually seemed to like.

"There." Fox smiled crookedly. The Zabrak beside him gave a groan, though, and hunched over. He was holding his tummy and started making gagging noises. His hands fluttered over his throat and it took Fox a minute to see that the Zabrak was choking. Fox yelped. He grabbed the Zabrak, rolled him over, and started trying to get whatever it was out of his airways. It took Maul maybe five minutes, the scariest five minutes of Fox's life, before he started barfing. All over the bed. Maul grabbed his stomach as he heaved. Tears glistened on his face. He was gagging, choking, trying to get rid of the meal Fox had just given him. Fox yelped a little bit and grabbed the Zabrak as best he could. Maul turned his head and vomited all over Fox's shirt.

"Sketch!" Fox needed his friend and decent medic. "We have a situation here!" He needed Skillet and Aster, too, but this wasn't the time to get them out of bed. "Maul blew chunks!" He tried to ignore the cruel comments that Savage made. Maul, though, heard them and whimpered softly. He turned his head away and buried his filthy face in Fox's shoulder. Fox held him, ignoring all the chunks that poor Maul had blown. "This is my fault, isn't it?" Maul made a pathetic whimpering sound. Fox sighed and slightly rubbed his back. "I should have known that you knew..."

Sketch showed up a few minutes later, holding a bucket of warm water and a rag. Fox stripped the bed down and Sketch cleaned the Zabrak up. Fox was just about to leave and go get some more sheets when he heard Maul whimper. The brutally injured, mostly naked Zabrak had crawled over and had pressed his face into Fox's shirt. Fox looked over at Sketch before he gently picked Maul up. The Zabrak melted into his arms and started a ragged purr. He did the weird nuzzling thing again and made a slightly happy sound hum as he settled into Fox's arms. Sketch laughed softly as he went to go get the things he needed. Fox held the Zabrak close. Maul seemed to like him.

It was Savage that scared him.


	8. Gratitude

Maul's stomach had hurt before, but he had never thrown up. Not like that. He had vomited on Stygeon Prime, of course, but that had been from the abuse and torture he endured there. His Master had tried to kill him. The only reason Maul had survived that was because his Master hadn't wanted to kill him right off the bat. One of the droids had slipped up, hadn't been as fast as it usually was, and Maul had been gone before they knew he was out the door. After that, he had stuck to the backways of the galaxy. The last thing he needed was to be recaptured. But he had been and then he went to Lotho Minor and then Savage and then...and then he fought his Master once again on Mandalore.

_When will I ever learn that I can't fight him and win?_

He curled up in Fox's arms, just enjoying being held. The last time he had been held like this had been the tie Savage was bringing him back from Lotho Minor. And then...there was a strange, dream like memory of Maul being curled up close to Savage, his head near the other man's breast, and he remembered tasting something sweet. It had calmed him, made him feel better. Not unlike the times he had pleasured himself when he was young and made milk come out of his chest, but it had tasted so much different from that. Sweeter, almost. But what had his Master said? That Zabrak milk was the sweetest you could ever drink? Wasn't there a reason that the Zyggerians raised and bred some lines of Zabraks just because of the milk they made?

The clone sighed and rubbed his face. "I'm sorry." Worry crossed Fox's eyes and he turned to Sketch. Maul wasn't sure if he liked the lame clone or not, but the man was kind to him. He didn't abuse the Zabrak, didn't strike him or call him foul names. He was usually very kind. Maul's belly still rolled a little bit as he cuddled close to the other man. He sighed a little. Everything hurt to move and Maul just wanted to go to sleep forever. It felt..strange for him, to be held and loved. Fox cleared his throat. "What does he eat? I mean, you knew Eeth far better than the rest of us did. What do Zabraks eat?"

"Meat." Maul surprised  himself by speaking. But Fox didn't strike him for speaking out of turn and seemed very relieved that Maul was actually talking to him. Maul looked down and weighed his options. He decided that he needed to keep talking. After all, he had decided to start this by speaking when he wasn't spoken too. Maul tried to ignore the screaming in his head and made himself look up again. "We eat meat. Or meat substitutes if it has enough iron and protein in it." He purred softly, thoroughly loving just being warm. The bed was nice, too. "I like fruits, but not vegetables as much. We mostly just eat meat." He didn't know if Fox would like that or not. If he didn't, there was nothing Maul could do about it. He couldn't change his biology.

Fox grimaced and settled Maul back on the bed. The Zabrak whined, a little shaken from not being able to hold his clone, but he was willing to take it. Maul figured that he got heavy. After all, even if he was just skin and bones, he did have some weight to him. The ginger clone settled beside him, though, and rubbed at Maul's horns. "Why didn't you tell me?" Fox asked. He gave Maul a tired look, as if he didn't understand what was going on here. "I thought you were a human, you know. Just a human that got dipped in red paint and had horns screwed onto his head!"

The Zabrak winced a little. "I'm not a human," he muttered. Was it right that he should feel a little bit insulted? The little one in his belly stirred at the idea of getting to eat meat, but he didn't press it. However, Maul did **not** fight it as Fox handed him a little bit of raw meat. It tasted like chicken, a rare luxury to the Zabrak. He gave a happy purr as he gladly chased all the bits of meat and blood off of Fox's fingers. To his credit, Fox didn't jerk away. He did, though, look like this was the last thing he wanted to be doing. Maul was hungry. He didn't care less and he ate until his belly grew tight and told him he couldn't eat anymore without fear of getting sick. Fox pressed a glass of cool water to his lips and Maul drank.

He...liked being pampered? Maul knew that he liked being treated like a king (who didn't?) but this went beyond that. There was a certain amount of trust being issued between the two of them. For Maul, it was that Fox wouldn't make him sick on purpose. For Fox, it was that Maul wouldn't bite him. Maul had bitten his Master once, in a highly sensitive place, and he had nearly lost a horn for that. The Zabrak shuddered at the thought of being hit again. He thought he was safe from that now. If he wasn't, then he would have a time of it when he was swollen with child. That pressed another depressing thought up--what would Fox do if he learned that Maul was pregnant? He had to want _something_ from the injured Zabrak. Maul just hadn't figured it out yet.

"I gathered that." Fox stroked one of Maul's horns, just to see the Zabrak shiver in pleasure. He didn't growl. Maul had learned long ago that "making animal sounds" was bad and deserved punishment. The Zabrak sighed a little at the thought. Could he help that he was a Zabrak? "Your heartbeat sounds weird, like it's echoing or something? Do I need to get Sketch in and have him x-ray that?"

"I have two hearts," Maul yawned. He snuggled into the clone, pathetically grateful for the kindness he had been shown. The food in his belly made him tame, far tamer than he usually was. There was the hormone dump, too. He had no idea what to tell Fox, nor did he want too. Maul figured that he had some months before the kitten came and he could deal with it then. "I'm not a human, I'm a _Zabrak_."

Maul didn't know who he was talking to more, himself or the clone beside him.


	9. Old Times

The last thing that Fox needed was an over affection Zabrak. Maul liked to snuggle up to him, keeping his body pressed up against the other man. Fox didn't know what to do about t. Yes, clone snuggled. They loved to snuggle close with each other and just sleep. But with a Zabrak? Especially a Zabrak that looked like he had just been starved half to death? That was the last thing that Fox wanted to deal with. He just had no patience for a guy who was as clingy as Maul was. And add to the fact that Maul liked to be hand fed... He hated reaching into a bowl of cold meat and handing him chunks of it. Maul purred every time he got some, though, and he seemed to love apple slices. Almec had suggested that, in fact.

The blonde man cornered him after Fox just got done with a feeding. He looked tired, drawn. His blue grey eyes were sad and broken. "It's gonna be a long time, isn't it?" Almec sighed again. "He said it was a bad idea to hit the palace head on, that we should have taken out the Duchess with a few blaster bolts and set up Bo-Katan as the de facto leader. And what did Vizsla and Bo want? They wanted to hit the palace head on."

Fox snorted. He really needed to wash his hands, but he could talk to his _vod_ for a little bit. "I've had bad leadership," he shrugged. "There's nothing like being under the command of some hot shot Jedi brat who just finished training. Let me tell you... the Jedi don't know shit about fighting!"

"I would have to argue with you on that," Almec countered. His grey eyes made him so different from the other clones Fox knew. "I've seen some of the scars that Maul has. You know, the ones before he was tortured like that. He liked to bathe with us and we took him to the hot springs a few times. Maul would strip and get in. He didn't care at all. And I could see...he has a lot of lightsaber scars. I think the Jedi that took his first set of legs was aiming much higher--he wanted to give Maul a gut wound." A gut wound wasn't just a killing wound--it was a maiming wound, too. Fox had seen what happened when a brother was shot in the gut. There wasn't much you could do but put that clone down like a dog. Otherwise, it was a slow and painful death that could take days.

The red haired clone looked back at the closed doors. If he listened, he could hear the soft whimpers. Maul _needed_ him for some reason. Fox hadn't figured out why. It wasn't like they had ever met. Maul had never been on Coruscant (that Fox knew of) and Fox had never been on Florrum, Stygeon Prime, Lotho Minor, Naboo, or Dathomir. They had never met. But why Maul wanted him was a total eclipse of the mind. The Zabrak was supposed to be a brutal Warrior! He wasn't supposed to be a bag of red skin and some bones. He was supposed to be brave. And the brother...weren't they a team? Didn't Savage have his brother's back? Wasn't that what brothers did for each other?

"Did Savage always hate his brother?" Fox softly asked. He needed to go talk to the yellow clone. He'd really hurt Maul and the other Zabrak still whimpered whenever he walked by.

"No," Almec mused. "That only started after what happened on Mandalore..."

"You don't think that Zabraks have some taboo against rape victims, do ya?" Fox remembered one high profile case he'd been called into dealing with. The daughter of a Tamilian diplomat had been captured by a group known to hate Tamil's ruling family. The daughter had lost her precious virginity (she was actually supposed to be married off the week after the incident took place). Her father had arranged for a so-called "mercy killing" and disposed of the body in a lake. The only reason Fox knew of this was because the second daughter told the Jedi right before she stole several hundred thousand credits, a hot male Twi'lek slave, a ship, and all the blasters in the house. But the Tamilians believed that anyone who lost their virginity or were forced to have sex with anyone other than who they were married to were broken and dishonored. It was thought to be better to kill them rather than make them live with the shame of what happened.

"Shit, I hope we aren't dealing with Little Tamil again..." Almec gave Fox the kind of look that meant one thing--he'd dealt with the Tamilian Riots right before Grievous tried to captured Obi-Wan Kenobi and sell him to some Zyggerians. "Shit, shit, **_shit_**!"

"Say that too much and you'll be on the crapper for a month."

"I hate you," Almec muttered. He sighed and gave Fox a long look. "This ain't Coruscant, okay? We don't have to play nice with the crazies and we don't have to go chasing down escaped slaves. If Savage tries something with Maul, we can either cut his head off or shove him out the airlock. Captain's choice."

Fox nodded and looked out of one of the portholes. He didn't know what he was doing. The red head was flying blind here. He'd started looking up about Zabrak reproductive processes (he vaguely remembered Tup bragging that he'd knocked up Eeth Koth right before he went nuts and "disappeared" just like Waxer did). So far, all he had found was the the mother lode of internet porn--nothing but male Zabraks who had been made to look pregnant being screwed by very large humans or "studs", female Zabraks and Twi'leks, or clones and Zabraks. Nothing that he actually needed. One thing the GAR did not teach you was alien reproduction. The galaxy had stranger things than a pregnant man happen on a regular basis. Case study: the freaking Jedi.

"I knew that." Fox crossed his arms. "Shaving gel, cold water, and a river. I'm not stupid, Almec. I know you did it."

"Lemon soda water, the high bay, hundred degree weather, my metal thermos, and a week. I'm not stupid, Fox." He leaned back and laughed a little bit. "I know you did that, too! But they never figured out who released a thousand roaches in the Jedi Temple canteen." The other clone almost doubled over laughing. Then ge looked up at Fox. "You don't know who did that, do you?"

"I helped..." Fox gave Almec a grin. "It was Rex, Cody, and Ahsoka. I have no idea who's idea it was, but it was a really good one. I was just the one that helped them carry the boxes in the Temple."

"Good times," Almec softly laughed. "Those were the good old days, _vod_."

"Aye," Fox softly agreed. His eyes almost misted over when he realized just how many brother he had lost. "Yeah, yeah they were..."


	10. Nightmares

_The frozen earth crunches under his boots. Maul ignores that, he ignores the stitch in his side. His sides are burning and his nose runs from the cold. He doesn't know if he can do much more. But Master wants him to. He must run the trail as much as he can. Maul forces his body to move just a little faster, a little quicker. He i starting to burn up under the heavy jackets. Fat flakes of snow fall from the sky, though, and remind him that this planet is trapped in bitter winter. It hasn't been above freezing here for a hundred years. Maul doesn't know how he knows this, but he does. His lungs burn as he climbs the trail again. His Master watches from a higher cliff. Maul can **feel** him watching. The older human will know if he slows down._

_His lungs burn as he climbs. Maul wants to collapse, but he can't. He has to run. He has to keep climbing the mountain trail. It hurt. His legs are burning and it's like he's inhaling burning coals with every breath. He runs. He climbs the trail and avoids the pitfalls that had once ripped his legs up when he falls. He knows not to venture off the trail. He tried that once and ran headfirst into a frozen strand of briars. Maul gasps as he climbs up and reaches the platform where his Master is. He'd been running for hours. Maul glances up, his golden eyes pleading. His Master looks down at him. Clad as he was in warm furs and a personal heater, he wouldn't be feeling the cold. Maul, by the way, is freezing. His poor horns feel like they're going to fall out._

_"You may stop." Sidious looks down and slowly starts to walk. Maul gasps. He doubles over and retches, feeling like everything is coming out at once. The young Zabrak closes his eyes. He's tropical. He knows from his droids that Dathomir is very warm. It does have a short cold season, but it rarely snows. Maul is shovering and his little body has no fat stores to draw upon. Master walks slowly. Maul struggles to keep up. He knows, though, if he falls behind that the consequences will not be good. Master will beat him. Master will starve him even more. Maul struggles. His eyes almost cross as he walks. Maul just wants to go to Mustafar so he won't be freezing anymore. The sweat, too, has soaked through his clothing. It's starting to freeze to his skin._

_They are at the frozen lake. Master looks at it and destroys the ice with a flick of his wrist. Maul looked at the rolling dark water with a whine. He doesn't like it. The Zabrak pulls back some. The water is inky dark. Perhaps this is the first time it's been uncovered in centuries. Master looks at him with a detachment._

_"There used to be people here," Master casually says. "The Jotnar. I'm sure you studied them in your classes. A stupid, stupid people. They worshiped this lake and the mountain you ran on. Only their priests could climb to the summit." A part of Maul feels sad. He had done what his Master said. He hadn't wanted to be rude to these people... "You know, they ran to the Zyggerian slave ships and offered them gold. Since they were that stupid, they rather deserved it. Remind me to introduce you to Loptr or Geir. Since you liked Azyl, you'll like them."_

_Maul nods. "Thank you, Master." He wants to collapse, but he can't. "Thank you, Master, for testing my endurance. I hope that you were satisfied."_

_Master snorts and looks at him. "Oh, you're not done yet." Before Maul knows what's happening, he's flying through the air. He crashes through the thin crust of ice that's already forming. The water burns his skin like a thousand knives scraping inside his most tender places. Maul screams. The cold water burns his lungs. A trail of bubbles escape from his mouth and are caught by the freezing water. He's sinking. Maul struggles. The water is so cold that he's struggling. His limbs are like lead, struggling through the frigid water. Maul struggles up. The heavy clothing falls from his body. Maul feels a spark of rage. That gives him the energy to struggle up to the surface._

_He crashes through the ice and struggles to the shore. When Maul looks up, his eyes are red rimmed. Master looks at him and laughs. He sees a great pleasure in this. Maul screams in rage and tries to lash out. He's cold, though, and weak. Master just drags him out and the world vanishes before him._

He woke up. Maul grabbed for Fox and pressed his face into the clone. Fox was mostly asleep, but he mumbled something in Mando'a and pulled Maul into his arms. Maul purred weakly. The little one in his belly stirred, as if reminding him that he was still there. He wouldn't be hurt. Maul trusted that Fox was good. He trusted that the clone would be kind to him. He wouldn't hurt the kitten inside him. He might not know what to _do_ with it, but Fox wouldn't hurt his kitten. Maul whined, though, and pressed his head into the clone.

Fox cracked one eye open. "Bad dream?" Maul nodded. Fox pulled Maul on top of him and cupped his belly. "I know all about those, buddy. Care to tell me what it was?" Maul shook his head no and threw his arms around the other man. "Well, then. I had a dream that you were pregnant and some old Zabrak was telling me that I damn well better keep you safe."

"I am." Maul curled up close to Fox, enjoying the warmth. "I... I am pregnant. And it...it's his." He looked down sadly and splayed his hands over his slightly swollen belly.

The red headed clone swore. "Um...I have no idea what to say..."

"I-I promise!" Maul pressed close to him, close to panicking. "We won't be any trouble! I promise!"

Fox just shook his head. "Let's go to sleep and then we'll talk about this." He pulled Maul close to him and the Zabrak just curled up. He didn't know what to do. The kitten in his belly was relying upon him for protection and Maul didn't know if he could protect him.


	11. Complications

What was he supposed to do with a pregnant _man_? Fox knew a little bit about male pregnancy from dealing with a few former Jotnar slaves, but nothing like a Zabrak. Nothing like Maul. What would happen to him? He was so thin that any pregnancy would be put in jeopardy. This might not go very well. What if Maul lose the pregnancy? What if the kitten died inside of him? Fox didn't know what to do. He wasn't a medic. He had never had to deal with something like this before. When Sketch and Skillet had been injured, they had gone to the medical ward on Kamino. He couldn't take Maul to Kamino. He couldn't even take Maul to a MedStar ship and see how the kitten was doing. Almec might try, but he was no medic. They would have no idea how to take care of him.

Fox sighed. He pulled the Zabrak close to him and splayed one of his large hands on the male's belly. Maul purred raggedly and pressed into him. He seemed to like it when Fox rubbed his horns or his belly. This would make things a little interesting. What if Maul got hormonal? What if he started getting cravings? Fox had no idea what he was supposed to do. What was he supposed to do now? The old Zabrak that had talked to him wanted to know how he was doing. It would be very nerve wracking for him to take care of this Zabrak while he was heavy with child. Fox sighed a little bit. He still snuggled the Zabrak, mostly enjoying being close to him. Maul started purring after a few minutes. Fox loved hearing that sound. It just soothed him.

He pulled Maul into his embrace. It felt very good how to be spooned up against the Zabrak. It seemed like Zabraks ran a little warmer than clones did and clones loved being warm. Fox smiled a little bit as he enjoyed the embrace. He thought that he needed some of the medication you used for a sick clone trooper. They had given that stuff to Hardcase after he had been half starved on Kamino. Fox knew he needed to find some of that before he started getting upset over how thin Maul was. The poor Zabrak had been starved, though. He needed to get that food so he could be strong to carry the kitten. Fox kissed the Zabrak gently and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He padded to the galley. The clone grabbed the medication and came back with him.

"Hey, Maul," Fox softly said. He pulled the kitten weak Zabrak up and rubbed his tummy. Maul purred softly and blinked his golden eyes open. Fox eyed his body weight before he poured out the medication. "Here, buddy. You need this. This'll help you get some weight back on and take care of that kitten of yours." He gave Maul the medication and the Zabrak licked up the medication. He felt better, giving Maul something that would help him out. Maul purred weakly and pressed into him. He closed his eyes and went to sleep around him. Fox started rubbing his horns. _That_ would would really serve to make Maul feel better. And it did, with the Zabrak starting to weakly pant. Fox kissed the top of his head as he got the Zabrak through his orgasm.

It would serve to help him sleep some. Fox got a damp cloth and cleaned the Zabrak off before pulling a pair of fresh pants on him. Maul made a tired whining sound and pressed into him. He just snuggled into the other man. Maul was all but limp against him. It made the clone smile a little bit. He just liked being useful and this would help him out some. He wasn't sure if the medication was supposed to be used for pregnant Zabraks or not, but he just wanted to help him out. It would work out, Fox was sure of it. He just wished he could purr and soothe the Zabrak even more. His brother could have helped him there, but Savage wasn't talking to Maul. And that was killing his brother inside a little bit.

If Savage was his brother, Fox would have slapped him across the face. His brother really needed his help and Savage wasn't giving it to him. And if it was for some stupid Zabrak ritual, Fox could care less. Fox growled a little bit. Maul shifted and brushed his clawed hands across Fox's face.

"Are you okay?" the former Sith murmured. In the semi darkness, his eyes were glowing. Fox found that he rather liked it. It was almost like his own personal nightlight.

"I'll be fine," Fox quietly said. "You're the one I worry about."

Maul shook his head and looked down. "I'll be fine. I'm sure that other Nightbrothers have had kittens before." He gave a huffed sigh and looked down. The Zabrak just wanted to take a nap, Fox could tell, but he just wanted to hold him close. "I just... I don't know. It's his kitten. I... I hate him. He's an evil bastard and he... I think he wanted to use me to carry his children. That or he didn't care."

Fox held him close and pulled his face between his shoulder blades. "It'll be okay," he whispered. "It will be okay. I don't care. I will help you through it as best I can, okay? I might not have wanted to deal with a kitten, but it's here." Maul yawned and pressed into him. Fox wrapped his arms around the Zabrak and made a silent vow to protect the Zabrak, whatever it took.


	12. Life Lines

Maul groaned some as he rubbed his belly. What was he supposed to do now? Fox had offered to get him some of the other clones if he wanted them, but Maul didn't. He just wanted Fox. It had gotten bad enough to where the Zabrak had taken to wearing Fox's cast off clothing just for the scent. He sighed some as the kitten kicked. His kitten was innocent in all of this. He (Maul didn't know how he knew that the kitten was male) had never asked to be born or created. He was still _very_ early into his pregnancy (maybe three months? If that?), so he had no idea how Force sensitive the kitten was. If he was anything like both of his fathers, though, he had some power. Maul gave a bit of a pleased purr. His kitten would be strong enough to keep anyone from abusing him. His unborn child would be _nobody_ 's bitch.

His feet were cold. Maul had been put on total bed rest by Almec. Since Almec was the closest thing this little ragtag crew had to a medic, Maul was expected to stay on bed rest until former notice. He wouldn't mind Aster babysitting him, though. Aster was sweet. He was very shy, but once he got to know you, he opened right on up. Maul found that he liked that. It made him feel wanted, he thought. Of course, Fox made him feel wanted. Sidious had never allowed him release and Maul had been to nervous to touch himself. Still, though, he liked feeling the white hot bliss of pleasure. He wasn't sure if the kitten liked it or not, though. Maul sighed some and reached for his socks with the Force. He really needed to get up and walk, but he ached all over.

The medication was helping him gain weight. Maul purred some when he felt a little roundness to his belly or how he saw his hands weren't so skeletal. He was still wobbly, though. Newborn guarlara colts were much stronger than he was and probably more stable. Maul cursed softly. He could hardly get up and use the refresher by himself. Some fearsome lord of the Sith he turned out to be. Maybe Sidious was right. Maybe he was a waste of space and better off in the belly of a meat ship. Maul frowned, though, and rubbed his belly. Why was he thinking like that? He had a kitten to take care of! He would be giving birth in six to seven months! His kitten would _need_ him! As much as he loved Fox, Maul wasn't sure that he could raise a kitten.

Wait. He _loved_ Fox? Maul looked at himself in horror. Sith didn't fall in love. They just didn't. It wasn't something that they were supposed to do, it was something they were supposed to forswear, it was something they weren't even supposed to think about. By forcing him to kill Daleen and Kilindi and by making him leave poor Zero to the wolves, Sidious was supposed to have killed his ability to love. Maul still prayed to any god that might hear him that Zero and Eogan had gotten to safety. They didn't deserve to be killed. Both men had fit the definition of "good person" to the tee. Maul? Maul was beyond saving. He could never equal up to what Fox would want. And besides that, he had already been with another man. Maul was even pregnant with his child! What sort of man would want that?

Someone walked into his room and sat on his bed. Maul whimpered some to see Savage. The Zabrak was much smaller than he used to be with a sort of thinness that pointed at years without enough food. Maul whined. He placed his hands over his belly to protect it and he looked up at the other Zabrak. What was he supposed to do? He couldn't lose the kitten and keep his soul intact! Besides, Zabraks had a hard time aborting a pregnancy. He had looked it up some, mostly because he was curious. Maul shivered to look at Savage. The other Zabrak's gaze was hard and without mercy. Maul ducked his head in shame. He would have given his life for his older brother and he almost did.

"What do you want?" Maul softly asked. He could hardly look at his older, healthier brother. He tried to curl up so his belly was protected. The last thing he needed to do was get hit so he lost his kitten.

"I wanted to see how my brother was doing. Is there a law that I couldn't do that?" Savage cocked his head. He was much slimmer now. His hips were like Maul's, wide to the rest of his body, and he seemed to look athletic. Was that what Zabraks were supposed to look like? Maul had no idea. He had never seen another Zabrak beyond himself and Savage. He only just realized that he was born on Dathomir, not Iridonia.

"No offense, brother, but you threatened to hurt me." Maul tried to keep his voice cool and calm. He was supposed to be a Sith, not a frightened maiden Zabrak! He was supposed to be the one doing the scaring, not the one being scared!

Savage shrugged. "I only lost my entire life because you couldn't see reason. I very nearly died, brother."

"I'm pregnant." Maul gave him a long look and struggled to sit up. The last thing he wanted to do was get in a fight with his brother. "We can argue about who's life got ruined more later, okay?" Maul was pretty sure that he won that fight. The Zabra sighed some and looked away. Why did this feel bad? Why did it feel like he was shoving his brother away? Maul had no idea why, but he didn't care. He was afraid for his kitten, after all. Savage could hurt him. He resisted the urge to growl and stared at the wall until his brother left.

The thing was, though, that his brother's rejection almost made him cry out in pain.


	13. The Joys and the Pains

Fox wasn't sure what to do with Maul and Savage. He'd dealt with brothers that disliked each other before, but not like this. Most of the time, the brothers tended to stay close to each other. All the clones had were their brothers, so it made no sense to hurt them or do something like that. And Maul was with child, too. Unless Savage was raised to be a stud (well, he was raised by the Nightsisters, so same difference), there was no reason for him to attack Maul or even be mean to him. The Zabrak had taken brutal torture for his brother. He was even pregnant because of it. Fox also had no idea how that baby was going to come out, so he'd looked it up. That, by the way, was not something he would recommend looking into.

On the plus side, he now knew what to do if the baby got stuck.

He sat beside Maul on the bed, idly petting the Zabrak's shoulders. It did cross his mind that Maul was powerful enough to kill him, even though he was as weak as water right now. The Zabrak, though, was purring and seemed like he enjoyed the attention. Fox thumbed through his data. He put it down after a minute and looked at Maul with fresh eyes. The Zabrak was still emaciated. His belly was flat when it should have been just starting to swell. Fox hoped that the kitten was okay. He had the bad feeling, though, that something was going wrong. Maul was too thin to have a healthy kitten. It was a miracle that his body didn't force him to abort. An absolute _miracle_.

Maul looked up with sleepy golden eyes. "Why did you save me?" He snuggled into Fox some and started to purr. It was a ragged purr, but it was still a purr. It helped make him seem more... human. Like there was a man underneath the various layers of... other. Maul was just so different that it was hard to see him as anything other than alien. The pregnancy didn't help, either. Yavinese men might be able to bare children (so could Stewjoni), but they were borderline alien and only found as playthings for the rich people. They were very rarely seen as human. Fox hated that, but there was nothing he could do. Maul stretched out some, his gaze a little bit dark. "It has to be a let down. I'm weak, broken, and I'm going to dump a kitten on you."

"I won't deny that it was a let down," Fox softly said. "I was expecting you to be the guy we fought on Florrum."

"Why me?" Maul picked himself up as best he could, but he needed help. The Zabrak must have been in agony in that cell. Zabraks needed almost constant warmth to stay alive. All of the hairless species did. "Why not just run away or find someone to take care of you?"

"You remind me of my little brother," Fox admitted. He closed his eyes some, a bit ashamed of what had happened. "His name was Kote. He... had cystic fibrosis, he could hardly breathe. I did everything I could to keep him going. He wasn't like Ghost. There wasn't anything there with Kote to make him valuable. One day, I left for training and... when I got back, he wasn't there. I learned that he'd been destroyed a week later." Fox bowed his head some, almost shaking with the unshed tears. "He was my _life_ and they didn't even let me see him die. I could have held his hand and told him everything was gonna be alright, that he was just gonna go to sleep for a surgery and it would have been fine..." Fox trailed off. He tried not to think of Kote, it hurt too much, but Maul had so many of Kote's qualities.

A red hand wrapped around his own and squeezed with what little strength it had. "I'm sorry," Maul murmured. His lips brushed Fox's knuckles and he looked up with sad golden eyes. "I had a twin brother who died when I was five. My Master let the droids beat him to death." He looked away and his voice was hard, cold, even. "If I ever have another kitten, I'm going to name him Wrath. After my brother."

Fox grabbed Maul and held him, rocking him back and forth. It was all he could do. They were the fortunate ones, the ones that had lived and survived when all the others died. Fox understood that, but it didn't mean that it didn't hurt. "What are you naming this one?"

"Skyler Maul Fett." Maul looked up and shrugged. "I like the name Skyler. Maul is my name and Fett is a nod to the man who saved my life."

Fox tried not to feel hopeful that there would be other kittens. Maul wouldn't be ready for sex in a long, long time. If he ever was. There was always adoption, but a part of Fox did want to see Maul growing heavy and round with his child. The Zabrak gave him a little bit of a dry look and just curled close. He was too tired to do much else. Fox tried to shove down the fantasies. The last thing that poor Zabrak needed was to be burdened with a clone's imagination. Besides, he was sexually frustrated. There was more scratching and biting than what the Zabrak would like.

"Savage likes being bitten," Maul mumbled. "Why don't you ask him?"

Fox tried to yank his mind out of the gutter. "I am so sorry..."

Maul looked up and shrugged. "Why? You're a man. You have a mind. That doesn't mean I want to have to see them, though. Look into mental shielding. Right now, I'm going to take a nap and I would like to be warm. Stay?"

How could Fox resist?


	14. Budding Feelings

Maul liked Fox. The clone was kind to him, much kinder than his Master had ever been. He didn't hit Maul. Didn't claw at his belly. Didn't tell him that the kitten inside of him was going to die. Maul knew that Fox would actually let him keep his kitten and not take it away. That was what his Master would have done. Sidious would have yanked the kitten away from him seconds after it was born. After carrying a child for ten months, Maul was pretty sure that he was allowed to touch it or love it.  That child might have only been the size of a jogan fruit, but it had already filled his entire heart. Something was off with the child, though. He could feel it. Fox, though, had no access to anything that could tell them about the child. For all Maul knew, he was carrying a child with severe birth defects.

His mind knew that nothing bad would happen to the kitten, but his heart was still worried. That kitten would be born into freedom and loved. Maul just hoped that he would never hurt or scare his child. He touched his belly some, concerned that he was so flat when he should have been starting to swell. The Zabrak huffed a bit of a sigh as he stood up. It was time for him to get up and start walking again. The Zabrak cursed a little bit, his legs wobbling under him like a newborn colt. Fox darted over from where he'd been reading something and grabbed him. Maul purred a little bit. He leaned his horned head back a little bit, allowing himself to be supported by the clone trooper. Fox murmured something soft and supported him carefully.

"You're doing so good," Fox whispered. He didn't say anything about how thin Maul's legs were or about how he wobbled. Maul gripped Fox's shoulder and took a few shaky steps. He could feel the kitten inside of him move some, but he ignored it. All Maul could do was concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. He gritted his teeth some, trying to walk and get ahead. Fox murmured kind words to him as he walked, stroking his sides and getting Maul to take a few steps forwards. "You're so strong, you know that? If that was me, I'd be in bed milking it for all it's worth." He smiled a little bit, touching Maul's belly. "I bet that little guy is going to be just as strong as you are."

Maul purred a little bit. He wobbled some and wound up plastered to Fox's front. He gritted some and called to the Force, getting himself up so he could walk. He could feel a little of his old strength returning, but he didn't want to force it. He was getting tired, though. Maul just focused on Fox's strength, the feeling of his muscles through his shirt, to get himself out of the bunk room and into the common room. He could feel Savage's gaze upon him, but he didn't mind. Savage stuck his face in Fox's neck. He purred quite a bit, just enjoying being able to touch the clone. And to think that Fox had been created to die... Maul had never hated his Master more than he did in that minute.

_You created this man to die. But did you ever wonder, maybe, that this one would actually be a real man?_

Thorn stood up and started clapping as Maul wobbled his way into the common room. He had a death grip on Fox's shirt and his forehead was shining with sweat, but he was _walking_. "Hey, Maul! There you go! You got this! Look at 'im go, guys! _Look at him go_!" He jumped up, whistling and whooping. Aster looked up from his crossword and gave Maul a shy smile. Maul put on his best "imperial jackass" face and gave him a regal wave. Aster actually doubled over and started laughing. Thorn jumped up even more. He was whooping and hollering, carrying on like a true maniac. Maul gave Fox a slightly concerned look.

"Is this normal?" he quickly asked.

"You haven't met Hardcase," Fox warned. He actually picked Maul up, bridal style, and ignored the yelp. Maul gave him a little bit of a look, but he sighed and kept himself as calm as he could. Fox cared about him. That was why he was getting carried like this. Savage looked over at him and gave a slight sniff. Maul actually snarled at his brother, warning him not to try it. What was it with Savage, anyways? He knew next to nothing about Nightbrother culture. What if he was considered broken and tainted? Maul knew from Almec that getting pregnant was a no-no with the Nightbrothers, but he thought it was different when there was a rape involved. Maul hadn't wanted to wind up with child.

"I'm not sure that I want too," Maul softly said. He didn't want to say anything, but he was willing to go after those who teased him. Then he turned over to his brother and growled a little bit more. "What is your _problem_ with me?! Do you _think_ I want to be this way? Do you _think_ that I wanna be bedridden? Or do you think that I wanted to be kriffed in the _shebs_ so much that I bled?"

"What if I can't go back to the village?" Savage asked. "I don't have the Force anymore. I can't go home and rescue my brothers from the witches. You're in no shape to fight. But **_our_** brothers are being bred to witches and killed when they throw a son! Do you know what _our_ father did when he learned you were a boy?! He damn well tried to escape! But they caught him and killed him. Painfully. You got my father _killed_! And you know what? You couldn't do anything right! My father _died_ for you and you go and get yourself knocked up!" He snarled some, not all that happy. Maul looked up at him, stunned.

"I had a father?" he softly asked. He nuzzled Fox some, shaking from the fear of it.

Savage nodded. "Yeah," he rasped. "We had a father. His name was Kero." Savage looked down and chewed on one of his claws. "His name was Kero and he tried to save all of us from the witches."

Maul let out a wail of pain and clawed at Fox's shirt. He never knew he had a father. He'd never really thought of it, never even wondered. But now that he knew... there was an open hole in his chest. A hole in his chest where his heart should have been. He'd lost far too much. Fox wrapped him up and stroked his body. He tried to be calm and gentle, stroking his horns and loving on him. Maul pressed close to him. He whimpered a little bit and nuzzled Fox. Despite the fear and the pain, he felt safe. He was safe and warm, because he had Fox with him.


	15. Dead Weight

So it turned out that they needed something to do. Something that probably involved blowing things up because they were clones and that was what clones did. But Fox didn't want to do that. Yes, he understood that the mission was still restoring the true _Mand'alor_ to the to the throne. Yeah, he understood that they still needed to do that. But his life had changed since he'd met Maul and for the better. He didn't have to lie awake at night and worry about battle plans or things that could get his brothers killed. Was he turning weak? Maybe. Fox didn't know. He just figured that he had to get Maul healthy before he took Mandalore back. The Jedi might try to fight them because they had pretty much shooed in Satine and he knew they hadn't been happy when Maul killed her.

To be honest, she deserved it. She had taken the Northern Mandalorian Clans, with their peaceful nature, but she didn't know what she was getting into. Mandalore was never very stable in the best of times, but she had made it a thousand times worse. Death Watch hated her and all of the Southern Clans were looking for her head on a stick.

Maul curled up beside him, looking over at Almec. The blonde clone was just enjoying himself some, reading and looking over papers. They were talking with some of the Death Watch rejects now. There had been Mandalorians that didn't want to stop the fighting, but once they got a taste of the peace... they were oddly happy. It had been good for Mandalore to have some peace time. And now they had a Southern Mandalorian in charge, a make known as Riol, and he was starting to undo everything that Satine had done. On one hand, it could lead to the bounty hunting trade becoming big again. On the other, it could lead to round three of a nuclear war. Fox had never seen nuclear war, but he had heard enough about it to know that it was a bad idea.

"Whatcha doing?" Maul pulled himself over some, careful of his belly. Fox was noticing more of that now. Like he didn't want to hurt the kitten inside of him. And he could respect that. But that still didn't mean that they didn't have to find something to do. Fox bit his bottom lip as he looked over at the documents. Much of the decent Death Watch had scattered, leaving the Northern extremists to pillage and rage as they pleased. That was not good. Fox didn't like it. He sighed a little bit and started thinking. They needed to figure out their next plan.

"Looking over some of our documents," Fox murmured. He nuzzled Maul gently and was rewarded with a pleased purr. Maul reacted so wonderfully and released a happy purr. He nuzzled back at Fox, but the ginger clone ignored him. "We need to figure out what to do. Bo-Katan has lead most of the moderates out to some planet. Not outside of Mandalorian space, but she's gone. She's left someone named Llir Toc in charge. You know him?"

Maul _growled_. "Yeah, I know him. He's a rabid cur if I ever knew one." He sighed some and pushed himself out of the chair as best as he could. Fox helped him out. He needed to stay strong to deal with whatever they did next. And Fox wanted to be with the true _Mand'alor_. They would have to fight, though. Maul was in no shape to take out a man in single combat. He needed to fight, but that would take so much time for him. He would have to train, to get used to using a _beskade_ rather than a lightsaber. Maul no longer had the weapon that he'd crafted. And it wasn't like Savage was going to help his brother out. "He's one of the ones that wanted to keep fighting over the _beskar_ mines."

"Oh, fun." Fox shook his head some. Why couldn't you leave well enough alone? The last thing he wanted to do was get in a fight, but he would if he had too. Almec could probably grab a few of his old commando friends and destabilize Death Watch enough to get Llir on the defensive. Wear him down and then send Maul in to make sure that he took the title.

"I don't think I'm as good as you think I am." Maul rubbed his head some and gave Fox a hopeless look. "Look. As much as I admire your faith, it's not gonna happen. I can't fight right now, okay? It's going to be months before I can fight again. And even then... I'll have a baby. I can't fight and get myself killed." He sighed some and then he looked at Fox. "What if you fought Llir? I can't. I'll be the power behind the throne and you can take out Llir and Rioli. By law, Rioli is required to take your challenge without Jedi help. If you take out Rioli... you can be the _Mand'alor_ and stick it to the Jedi."

Fox laughed a little bit. He remembered the clone who had tried to be a General and all of the things that had happened with that. It hadn't gone well for the clone and he had actually been put down for it. The last thing Fox wanted to do was get himself killed over something that he really didn't understand. He sighed a little bit as he rubbed the Zabrak's horns. They needed to get ready for this, whatever they did. He just wanted to find something for them to do. Clones were made to do things. They weren't made to sit around and do nothing. And so he sighed and settled back on the couch. Almec was keeping his mouth shut. Did that mean that he agreed or did he think that this was a horrible idea? He needed some help when it came to planning a coup.

"I don't think this is such a good idea," Fox slowly said. Would they take Maul as his consort? Or would that be another fight. But he shrugged some and rubbed the Zabrak's head again. "But how about this... how would we get in contact with Bo-Katan and her warriors?"

The smile Maul gave him would have made a gundark back down.


	16. Something To Do

Maul had just needed something to do. He was almost like a clone in that respect. As long as he was given a purpose, he was good to go. That possibly came from his life as a Sith apprentice. If his Master didn't have a use for him, no matter how mundane it might seem, he was as good as dead. Maul had learned that when he watched a young Twi'lek apprentice killed because she wasn't as useful as Maul was. He would never forget her cries or the way she crumpled into a bloodstained heap. The lesson hadn't been lost on a young Maul. You had to have a use. Otherwise, you were just a waste of carbon and it was better to destroy you now before you really kriffed something up.

He didn't even remember the girl's name. Just that she had pale green skin and eyes like golden flames.

The red Zabrak was surfing the holonet, looking for any evidence of Bo-Katan and her movements. He wasn't sure if she would speak with him. After all, he had killed her sister and left such a mess that the entire ruling system was reworked and a king was placed in charge. From what Maul knew, King Rioli had gone out of his way to make himself unpopular. To start with, he had taken away the weapons most families owned. No flamethrowers, no rocket launchers, no grenade throwers, no blasters, no _beskades_. He had ended the bounty hunting and instead focused the planet's efforts on manufacturing. Maul didn't know what they were making, but it looked like they were doing a lot of ore refinement. And, to make things even more fun, Rioli had placed Northern and Southern Mandalorians in the same work gangs. If that wasn't a recipe for disaster, Maul didn't know what was.

He sipped his tea softly as he worked, sending out a few communications bots over the Shadow Net. His next job was to program a spy bot that would take over Rioli's network. Nothing too grand. Just something small that would stay in the background until it was needed. Such a bot proved hard to program, though, and Maul almost ran out of rose tea as he worked. Well then. He could either contract this out and let some idiot bungle the job or he could do it himself. It was a no brainer. Maul knew how to code bots. It had just been a long time since he'd done it for his Master. Then again, when he did it for Lord Sidious, he was punished for every error, he didn't have his glasses, and he most certainly didn't have rose tea for cramps.

The child within him had quickened and was making his presence known with a few sharp kicks. Drinking rose tea eased the pain, so Maul had decided to stock up. He wasn't too sure about living on Mandalore after all that had been done to him, but he figured that they didn't have that much choice. It wasn't like Death Watch was going to decide to recruit him again. He was just a big failure, as far as they were concerned. Maul coded a little bit more before he inserted the bot into Rioli's systems via an old email. It would look like something a close friend had sent the king. When opened, it would be empty, but the bot would have been downloaded instantly. Sure enough, Maul started to get information within five minutes.

Fox looked over his shoulder, a little bit curious. "You've been really quiet today. Are you planning something?" He smiled a little and sat down beside the Zabrak. "Huh. I don't know what all these windows are and who watches _Murder in Galactic City_ anymore?"

"King Rioli does." Maul leaned back some and stretched out. "I've been laying the groundwork for your challenge for about the past few hours. The man doesn't fight. Doesn't train. Does nothing but make life hell for the people of Mandalore." Maul snorted some and closed the data-tablet. He preferred working on laptops. They were border line stone age, but he liked using the physical keyboard and he liked the screen style better, too. Then again, finding a working laptop was next to impossible these days. Maybe he could make one.

Fox's jaw dropped. "You hacked King Rioli?"

"Actually, he did," Maul explained. "I just made the bot and sent the email. He's the one that clicks on every bit of junk email he can find. In fact, his system is full of bugs. He's probably got an IT department, but they're chasing pretty women." He snorted some. "Or one of them is plowing the king in the _shebs_. That would be such wonderful material. Watch the king of the Mandalorians taking it from some guard."

"You didn't write this just to be a creeper and watch free porn," Fox dryly said. The clone rubbed his face some and looked over at the images. "So what were you planning to do with this? Kill him?"

Maul snorted some as he trawled through the king's personal servers. It did look like he was trying to end slavery in that sector of space, but it also looked like he was going at it in a bad way. "Nope. The first rule of killing a leader is to _know thine enemy_." He thought that Sidious had said something like that. It did sound like something the old man would say. "So what you're going to do is learn about him. It shouldn't be that hard. He is, after all, one of the plainer leaders that Mandalore has had."

"I still can't see why we can't let Spar do this." Still, Fox took the copy of things Maul had given him.

"Spar is a loose laser cannon and I don't want him to kill someone and make our life that much harder for us," Maul explained. He looked around and finally turned back to his mate. "I trust you, okay? I want you to do this because I know you're the best for the job." That might have been Maul, once, but those days were long over. These days, he would just be happy to be the power behind the throne, not the one leading the charge. After all, he did have a kitten to think about.

Fox nodded and downloaded much of the information. "I'll look this over tonight. This should be fun."

Maul kissed his mate on the cheek. "I hope so, at least." He did. He really and truly did. Otherwise, it would not go well for all of them.


	17. Not a Good Idea

In what galaxy was it considered smart to commit regicide? In what galaxy was it considered smart to let a _clone trooper_ take charge of a planet full of non-clones? Especially a planet full of people almost as wild as old Soliel was? This was just a recipe for diaster and Fox had no idea why they were going along with the plan. It was a better idea to let Spar take the fall and the blame for all that was about to happen. As much as Fox hated the trooper, he was pretty smart and he did know how to plan things without getting his fool self killed. Fox didn't know if he could trust these _di'kuts_ to change a light bulb, much less rule a planet! Hardcase shot himself out of a _supply cannon_ , for Coyote's sake!

And that genetic stock was supposed to make a good leader?

Fox needed to know what Maul was smoking and take it away from him before he hurt the baby. The poor bastard was still bone thin. He limped when he walked and his entire body was covered in scars from what had been done to him. But still... Fox liked the man. He liked the shy vulnerability that the man had when he thought others weren't looking. Maul before Mandalore and Maul after Mandalore were two different people all together. The one before Mandalore had been obsessed with Kenobi and killing him. This one, the one he had now, was quieter. More lost in thought. Just happy to sip his tea and quietly work on his spy bots. The last thing Fox needed to do was get him hurt, but this was looking to be hard.

He picked up the blaster, admiring the weapon's smooth design and the way it fit into his hand like it was molded for him. It truly was a work of art. A weapon made for a warrior. A weapon made for a man who knew how to fight and wasn't willing to take any prisoners. Fox looked down the cool, sleek barrel and touched the metal. This... was his weapon. Like it was _made_ for him. He fought with a blaster, not a _beskade_. He had never picked up a bladed weapon in his life. He wasn't a Shadow Hunter. He didn't kill rogue Force users. But he was going to have to use a weapon like a lightsaber when he fought King Rioli. Fox squared his shoulders some and took a deep breath. He could _do_ this. For Maul. Their unborn child.

He _had to_ do this.

Savage gave him a long look as he picked up Maul's lightsaber. The weapon was old. Scarred. Dented in places and patches of the grip had been worn off. It was light, too. A weapon that seemed almost weightless in his hands. He twirled it around, just a little bit, and smiled some as the weapon acted like it was a natural part of his body. Now this... _this_ was a weapon he could get used to! Fox grinned broadly. He spun around for a few minutes, imitating the fighting styles he'd seen the Jedi doing so many times before. It seemed to flow from within him and, for a second, Fox swore that the entire universe was singing. He danced with the unlit blade for a few more seconds before Savage cleared his throat.

"Lightsabers tend to work better if you turn them on first." Savage lit his blade and the crimson beam filled the entire hold with a red light. Fox took a deep breath and willed his heart rate to settle. The last time he'd seen that color of a blade, it had been used to kill Colt. Right after Asajj had used him for whatever purposes she might have had. Fox swallowed some. It was okay. He could do this. Savage might have been a real _shabuir_ about things, but he at least knew whathe was talking about and he wasn't an idiot.

Fox gave him a long look. "I was aware of that, _mir'sheb_."

"I speak Mando'a and I'm not as nice as my brother is," Savage warned.

"Oh yeah? _Copaani mirshmure'cye, vod_? " Yes, Fox knew he was pushing it. No, he did not care. He lit the lightsaber and flared it out behind him, marveling at the strength and power in the blade. This had to be why the Jedi felt so powerful. And why wouldn't they? They had the most powerful blade in the world at their disposal. The weapon seemed to hum in his hands as he held it. He paced back and forth some, looking over Savage. Yes. He could do this. He could learn how to use a lightsaber. The first strike came without warning and Fox just managed to get the blade up. Savage changed swiftly, knocking aside Fox's blow. They danced around each other, the blows going from clumsy to smooth and graceful.

Something changed inside of Fox. The world seemed to level out, to blend together into something surreal as he danced and parried the blades. Savage jabbed at him. Fox swatted it aside. Without thinking, he flipped the weapon around, jabbed another stud, and gasped as a red blade shot out of the saber's butt. It didm't strike Savage. Instead, it ended just under his chin. Savage didn't bat an eye. He flipped the lightsaber in his hands around before coming at Fox. Fox knocked the blow aside and parried a blur of blows. It was like dancing, almost. The fighting. The ease of movement. The way it flowed and the way they went at each other. Fox didn't know why he could do this, but it just felt amazing.

Savage drew back when they were done and doused his own blade. "That lightsaber chose you."

"Is that bad?" Fox doused his own blade and looked at the weapon. Lightsabers chose their wielders? Huh. Who would have thought it? Maybe there was something about clones not being allowed to handle lightsabers that just went beyond general Jedi being stupid.

"I just haven't seen it before," Savage replied. He started getting his things together so they could go back to doing other things. "That's all."

Fox nodded some. He was still getting an odd feeling about that and he wanted to know why. Maybe he would ask Maul later.


	18. It Chose You

Maul relaxed back on the couch with a hand on his belly. He hated getting bigger. Already, it was harder for him to get up and just do things that he could have done before. And it was only one, not twins. Maul didn't know what he would have done if he'd been forced to have more than one kitten. He sighed softly as he typed, keeping a careful eye on the rest of their crew. It was safe to assume that Death Watch was dead. Bo-Katan wasn't much of a leader and if Maul knew her, he figured that she had taken over after he'd "bit the dust". She was nothing if not power hungry. Maul hummed softly, almost absently. He just hoped that everything would be okay with his kitten. He was still getting a bad gut feeling about what was going on, but he at least figured that the kitten would be cared for if he died.

There was an odd feeling in the Force. Maul sat up after a few seconds, trying to figure out what it was. He cocked his head some. The Zabrak just felt... odd. Almost empty inside. He wasn't quite sure _what_ he was supposed to be feeling, but he knew that it was there and it was starting to bug him. Maul huffed a curse under his breath as he got up. He needed to figure out what this was and he needed to figure it out now before he got too tired to pursue it. The red Zabrak padded through the halls of the ship, cocking his head and looking around. This was all very odd. He couldn't quite put his fingers on it, but it was still there and it was still driving him mad. The Zabrak growled under his breath.

If his brother had done something stupid, Maul was going to rip his kriffing head off. He was tired, he was hormonal, and he was too annoyed to deal with this kriff right now. He was in no shape to deal with a Force demon or a Nightsister. His brother still had some stupid connection to them and it was only Maul's shaky temper that was keeping him from going back. Savage might not respect his brother for what he'd done, but he did know who was the stronger brother. It would feel so good for Maul to toss that _di'kut_ into the wall and maybe dent one of his precious horns. Maybe it was the hormones talking. Maybe it was just that weird feeling in the Force that was ticking him off. Or maybe he was just in a poor mood and looking to take it out on someone.

He paused in front of the hold. Maul sniffed the air, tasting the familiar dry tang of ozone. Someone had been sparring with lightsabers, it smelled like. Maul smiled dryly as he walled inside. Sparring was yet another thing that he could no longer do, thanks to the kitten in his belly. He leaned on the wall, watching his brother and possible mate walk around each other. Fox sported several light burns on his shoulders. So did Savage, but Fox carried far more wounds than Savage did. It looked like they were learning from each other. Maul smiled softly when he saw that Fox was holding his lightsaber. The lightsaber Maul had created out of spare junk and honed lovingly. His grin grew bigger. It looked like his weapon was being well cared for.

Savage jerked his head back. "Are you done yet?"

"I'm done when you are." Fox swiped the blade in the air some. It seemed like he was enthralled by the red blade and the way it danced through the air. He suddenly darted at the yellow Zabrak, slashing at him. Savage parried it quickly. Fox reacted quickly. He swiped away a series of blows, only to grunt and collapse to the ground. Savaged had the Force. Fox didn't, but he recovered quickly and rolled. The lightsaber flashed up and ended up just under the yellow Zabrak's chin. Fox grinned some. "You know, I've shot at Jedi. It takes a little more than that to throw me off."

"So I see that the GAR taught you how to take a low blow," Savage grunted. He shoved at Fox some, forcing the clone back a little bit. The clone seemed to let the Force flow over him, before he reacted and slashed at the blows. The form was _horrible_. His footwork needed some real attention. It was okay for a beginner, though. If Fox wanted to try any more of the advanced forms, he was going to need to learn a little bit more about watching where he put his feet.

"Anything to win!" The clone smiled crookedly. He lowered the blade and doused it before wiping the sweat off of his face. "Thanks for training me, mate. I don't think I could have done that--!"

Savage lunged at him, the blade lit. Maul tried to keep from flashing back to when he was trained, how his Master would have sliced him and burned him, anything to make him never let his guard down. Fox gave a strange little scream and lit the lightsaber. He got it up there, just in time, and was nose to nose with Savage. His arms strained as he watched the Zabrak and Maul could tell that he was scared. He didn't get in the way, though. He figured that it wouldn't do anything but soften Fox. When Sidious came back, Fox was going to have to know how to fight. As much as it hurt him, he had to watch as the man he loved learned a hard lesson. Savage growled low as he stared Fox down.

"Never assume that the fight is over until the other man is down." Savage stepped back. He doused his own blade. "If I had wanted too, I could have had your head rolling around on the ground right now."

Fox nodded and doused his own blade. "I was taught that you didn't have to kill to win a battle," he softly said. Maul shook his head some. He slipped over to his friend and touched his shoulders. Fox ignored him for a few seconds. "Was that what you were taught?"

Maul ignored the question and touched the lightsaber. "The crystal chose you," he softly said. Maul sighed some and put the weapon back. He'd never really bonded with the thing. They had just agreed to work with each other because that was all they had. The red Zabrak closed his eyes some. He no longer had a lightsaber. It took a special brand of cruel to force a crystal into working for you, even if you made it. He gave Fox a soft smile. "I always knew that you were special. I guess the Force does, too."

"Thank you," Fox softly said. He touched Maul's hand and gave him a soft smile. "You wanna help me ice down my burns?"

Maul nodded quickly. "Please? I think I would like that?" He really did and he really hoped that Fox meant it.


	19. To Defeat a King

Fox didn't know what to do with a lightsaber. The weapon was foreign in his hands and he got the feeling that, as a Force null, he might not have been supposed to use it. But the weapon still sang to him and he was still able to grasp it. There were stories going around about how you could go mad if you picked up a Force touched object and it didn't like you. That was said to have happened to a clone he knew. The man was called Shiv and he died a long time ago. Others said he was killed by something called "Ice Men", though. Fox just hoped that he was still out there, alive and well. It was hard knowing that you were a part of a dying breed. Thousands of clones had been destroyed by the Empire, thanks to their PTSD.

He settled down on the bed and wrapped the weapon back in the calf skin covering. Fox had a feeling that the weapon he was now holding had once belonged to Maul. What else could he suspect? He was close to the man. He'd even agreed to help Maul raise the child he was stuck with and even to be the king in name only. Really, what more could a clone trooper want? He would have a ready made family, a roof over his head, good food, and someone to hold him at night. Still, something set his teeth on edge. The weapon he was holding had a personality of it's own. He was very friendly with the most wanted man in the galaxy and he was training with a sentient weapon under a Dark Side user.

For a man who was brought up in the Jedi Order, such a thing was borderline unthinkable. He had little to no idea what he was doing with it, or why.

Fox figured that it all began and ended with Sundari City. This was the place where Satine had ruled her "empire". Where the first Mandalorian kings had started pushing for an expansion. This was the very heart of Mandalorian life and culture and he was going to start a fight right in the middle of it. Fox pulled the cloak over his bright red hair. Very few clones were anything other than dark headed and that same dark tan color. One of them that he remembered, a clone named Scout, had bright ginger hair, green eyes, and was almost as dark as Mace Windu. Then there were the Blue Eyed Boys and Angel, who had been fair and blue eyed. Like them, Fox had been on the receiving end of jokes about his looks for years.

He smiled some as the chill wind cut through his cloak. Let them laugh when he was a king and the rest were fleeing from the Empire. He was going to be the _Manda'lor_. Fox wouldn't be fighting with a _beskade_ , either. He was going to use his lightsaber and really let the man have it. Beside him, Almec pulled his cloak tighter around his shock of bright blonde hair. The two men were easily recognizable if you were in Imperial circles and the last thing Fox needed was to be recognized until the time was right. He sighed some as he walked over the slick cobblestones. The sky hung over him, a dark iron grey color, and it reminded him of the troop transports he'd been forced to stay on for hours at a time.

It was a short walk to the palace. Fox kept a close look out, but the bored looking guards just let him in. He wondered if they were looking for lightsabers, like Satine had been, or if these didn't care. There were people who didn't believe in the Force or Jedi anymore. Fox gritted his teeth as they walked through the silent halls. The gold fixtures and plush furniture looked to be a great place to sit and talk, but the revolving holos and oil portraits of the former rulers seemed to be glaring at him. Fox got the distinct impression that they wouldn't be happy if he decided to take a nap there, dirty boots and all. Almec knew where he was going and lead him, calmly and surely, through the palace. He had worked there for years, after all.

Fox swallowed some as he walked. Maybe it wasn't a good time for him to be doing this. Maybe he should have just waited until Maul was better. However, he figured that Sidious would have wanted Maul back and attacked him then. The last thing they could risk was that child falling into the hands of his sire. The Sith Master was no fool. It would be too hard and costly to take Fox out once he was a king. He would have to swallow his pride and play nice for the cameras and say that he was so astonished that a clone had gotten this far. Most humans weren't good at telling Zabraks apart, so as long as Maul cloaked himself in the Force, no one would know that he was once a feared Sith Lord.

The king himself was sitting on the throne, looking bored. He'd been dressed in traditional Mandalorian armor in what was likely his House colors. They were green, blue, and gold. Fox thought he looked like a flying jewel snake that you found on Yavin IV, but that was just his opinion. He was a weak looking man, pale and sickly looking, with watery hazel eyes and a pallor to his skin. His dark hair, streaked with grey, was limp. Like he hadn't been bothering to care for himself or something. Fox didn't bother to kneel. He wasn't wearing armor. He had no house, no clan, nothing beyond a sick Zabrak in a ship. But he was flanked by two commandos, both wearing Maul's red and black armor. The Zabrak hadn't expected any to still be loyal to him after he was defeated.

Voss Re'traa and Kimma Vhett were, though.

Kimma set her staff down, hard, against the tiled floor. Fox stayed behind her. They needed to play this right and he needed to let the Mandalorian people have their moment of glory against the man the Empire had forced on to their throne. Kimma removed her helmet and sharp hazel eyes met the king's. "We've come to claim the right if challenge," she smoothly said. "Fox Jango Fett, of House Vhett, is here to challenge you for your crown and empire."

"On what grounds?" The man leaned forwards and grinned some. "I haven't broken the laws of our people."

"I challenge you on the grounds of letting an innocent man be tortured nearly to death and the attempted murder of a child, in this very palace," Fox growled. He tried to keep himself calm. This was a man who had let Sidious do whatever he wanted in that dungeon of his. "I further challenge you on the grounds of colluding with a force that sought the destruction of a duly appointed _Manda'lor_. You knew what was going to happen and you let it happen, just to have the seat you're sitting in now."

"Brave words for a clone trooper and three members of an exiled regime," the man drawled. He stood up and Fox could suddenly see the grace and strength in his lean frame. His mouth almost went dry, but he forced himself to stay calm and get ready. The king reached to his hip and pulled the dark saber. The weapon flared to life and it looked like it had been ripped from the heart of the Void. Fox flipped up his own cloak and pulled out Maul's old lightsaber. The weapon crackled to life in his hands, almost of it's own accord. The man he was about to kill seemed almost taken aback, but he lunged forwards and went right at Fox's heart. Fox didn't even think as he reacted and the two blades met with a snarl and a shower of sparks.


	20. To Pull Down a Throne

Fox handled his lightsaber like he'd been born with it in his hands. He was only using one end if the weapon now and it seemed like he was dancing with it as he parried aside the blows from Rioli. The Mandalorian man had pulled out his own weapon, a vibro-sword, and was using it like one would use a _beskade_. Maul cringed as he watched the man butcher using such a weapon. It would have been a beautiful thing, if Rioli had known how to use such a weapon. The man lunged at Fox. Fox darted aside, slicing him down his side. The man screamed in very real pain and crimson blood welled up from the wounds. Fox moved in. Rioli gave him a glancing blow and made the other man grimace some in pain.

Savage had done well. Fox knew what he was doing. He knew how to handle the old lightsaber and he was doing it much better than Rioli was right now. The clone trooper spun on his heels. He lunged at Rioli and swung the saber around, just as he activated the other end of the lightsaber. The second beam caught Rioli in the arm and there was a sickening _hiss_ as the limb was almost cut straight off. Rioli dropped to the ground. Maul held his breath and watched as Fox stood over the prone man. Rioli looked like he was going to go for his sword. Fox didn't even give him that option. He just grabbed the saverstaff and speared Rioli through the back with it.

The man must have screamed. He must have. His body seized up and started twitching before it collapsed. Maul could feel the man's death in the Force and he breathed a sigh of relief. He was dead. Rioli really was dead and Fox had done the deed. The clone trooper stood over the dead man and there was just a look on his face that would make all sorts of men cower not get around him. Fox turned around towards the other men, right before he grabbed the mythosaur skull off of the wall. He placed that on his own head, much like a crown, and crossed his arms. Maul watched as the crowd of richly dressed nobles shifted and tried to move backwards. It was bad enough for them to be ruled by a member of the Southern Clans.

It would be something else for them to be ruled by a clone trooper on top of that.

Maul breathed a sigh of relief as he got up. It was time to make his grand appearance. Sidious wouldn't do anything against a man on the galactic stage. He would be too well known. Too famous just to be killed or shoved away. The Jedi might make a stink, but what else could you do with a pregnant Zabrak and his human mate? It would be a PR disaster if they really did want to start something. He could always plead his belly if he had too. It had been used by many others far worse than him, after all. The Zabrak purred softly as he got up. They had done it. They had really done it. Rioli was dead and Mandalore was secured. He wouldn't put it past his master to go looking for an alliance, though Maul planned to turn him down.

He needed to speak with his brother. Maul walked through the small ship, trying to keep from dancing and jumping around. It wouldn't do to hurt the child in his belly, after all. He stroked the bulge quietly as he looked for the yellow Zabrak. There was a time when he wouldn't have kept it. That was before he could start to feel the child in the Force, though. Despite the fact that Sidious had sired it, it was still a part of him and was still a blank slate when it came out. Maul didn't know if he could take care of a child on his own. He did know that Fox would need a child in order to make himself that much more legitimate. Maul thought he could do that. In fact, he knew he could give Fox another child or two.

"We did it." Maul leaned on the door, gazing into the barren room. Savage didn't have much, just a sparring mat and his other things. Some clothing, a few books, his staff, what looked like a small computer... Nothing that would make you think a Sith lived here. It looked so... normal. And then there was Maul, who had stashed every little thing in his bed and was in the process of making a nest. How Fox tolerated it, he would never know.

Savage looked up and nodded. "You did, brother. Now is he going to claim you in front of the galaxy? We all know that it wouldn't hurt him to just leave you."

"I trust him." And Maul trusted precious few beings in his life. He sighed softly and rubbed his head. "I'm sorry."

"For?"

"For not letting you go," Maul softly said. He looked over at his brother. "For... letting you get hurt in however you got hurt. Because I was selfish and I didn't let you go." He turned his head some and swallowed. The Zabrak didn't know what he was supposed to do. He missed his brother, though. He missed being able to talk to his brother and have another opinion. Fox was great and all, but he still needed his brother. They were still going to need Savage's voice of reason when it came to leading things. Maul had never been taught how to lead. He played everything by ear and by reading things on the holonet. Most of them were simply drivel, but there were the odd kernels of truth. And this was one of them.

"I don't want to see you hurt," Savage finally said. He stood up and gripped his brother tightly. Maul wouldn't have noticed it, but right now he was shuddering and trying not to cry. Maul wrapped him up close. He needed to be mindful of his kitten, but he still needed to press close to his brother. Maul made a tired whining sound. He nuzzled Savage softly, just trying to keep him close and in his arms. He'd learned how to cuddle from Fox. Maybe that was what he'd been missing before. Maybe he'd needed to learn this instead of how to fight and kill. The yellow Zabrak started purring softly. He nuzzled the smaller Zabrak and touched his belly with one clawed hand.

"I didn't want to lose you," Maul admitted. He sighed softly and pressed close.

Almec walked into the room and cleared his throat. "Lord Maul? Fox has called for you in the city proper. I think you should at least wash your face and put on a better shirt."

Maul cracked a smile as he pulled back from his brother. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck." Savage smiled softly as he turned to leave. Maul would have whooped if he was alone, but since he wasn't... he was going to just smile and act a little bit smug. He had earned this, after all.


	21. Claiming His Mate

Fox had thought that the sparring with Savage was hard. He'd never thought about what fighting for his life would be like. Sure, he'd sparred with others before just using a staff like some of the Jedi did, but he'd never fought anyone with a _beskade_ before. Even Savage took care not to truly hurt his brother's mate. Maul might have been heavily pregnant and due to give birth any day now, but that didn't mean he was out of the action. After all, him killing Rioli was very much Maul's idea. The red haired clone sighed, pacing some. Almec was looking very comm and he was tapping on his com. Probably making some sort of press release, knowing him. Fox did hope that he could get this all dealt with before the poodoo hit the fan.

He was willing to bet that Republic was going to have something to say about this. He was a clone trooper. He was supposed to fight and die for the cause, not go out and take out a planetary ruler. And yet, Fox had done just that. He had done even more. He was mated with Darth Freaking Maul and they were going to have kittens soon. Now, not his kitten, but did it really matter? As far as Fox cared, that was his kitten. He sighed softly and started pacing in the ornate throne room. His lip curled as he looked around. As far as he could tell, Rioli really liked the gold and the ivory. He had cloth of gold hung up all over the place and it was full of those tacky gold statues only the filthy rich got.

The trooper walked over to the prone body and kicked it over. He swore under his breath as he looked at the richness of the robes. The intricate embroidery, the symbols written into the very fabric of the clothing he was wearing. The man had been at the very top of Mandalorian society. The others, especially those exiled from the planet, lived in poverty. The Southern clans had lost out big time when Satine took over. When Maul took over for his brief rule, things had gotten a little bit better. There had even been rumors that clones might become citizens there, but he was taken away before anything could happen. And then Rioli, who made Satine  look like a vestal maiden, had taken over and took things straight to hell.

Maul was taking his time in getting there. Fox titled his head back. He wished he was wearing armor, just so he could really make a point. The first thing he was going to do was make clones citizens of Mandalore. If he had too, he would even take on the Jedi Council. The man took a deep breath and he was just about to grab his comm when Maul walked through the door. The red Zabrak purred softly as he took in his mate. And then Fox gasped softly. Maul... looked like what he was. He looked like a Sith. He was draped head to toe in his flowing black robes and his head was hooded with that same soft material. His heavy boots shone in the low light and Fox could have sworn that there was a lightsaber on his hip.

"You look stunning, my _kar'taylir darasuum_ ," Fox whispered. He crossed the floor quickly and pressed Maul's forehead into his. The Zabrak was just a little shorter than he was, but that didn't matter. He swallowed. "Was the walk okay? Were you bothered?"

"We'll have company soon." Maul drew back and looked down at the corpse. He took a shuddering breath. "We did it, Fox. We really and truly did it. And this time, I don't think the Jedi can do anything about it." He grinned just a little bit more. "I would like to see the looks on their faces. Especially the one known as Kenobi. This time, I have the upper hand."

"Only as long as I get to have words with Tarkin," Fox laughed. He smiled just a little bit and then he sobered up when he saw the doors open. Maul's hands flew to his side and Fox stepped in front of him. Maul was very pregnant and he didn't want to lose his mate. Not when the baby was so near. The ginger trooper trained his blaster on the slowly opening door. Maul didn't move. There was an unreadable look on his face and he suddenly swore sharply. Fox ignored him. He was going to deal with this problem before it got his mate killed. "Who's there?! Tell me or I start shooting!"

"I didn't know you hated me that much, Fox." And Obi-Wan Kenobi himself stepped out from behind the door. He held his hands up, right before looking at Maul. "I should have known you would have something to do with this. You just don't give up, do you?"

Maul shrugged. "I can't. It's not in my nature."

"What do you two want?" Obi-Wan looked around and gestured at the finery. "I know you kill Rioli, but I don't think the galaxy is quiet ready for a clone trooper leading a planet. Especially not one like Mandalore." The Jedi crossed his arms and looked at the both of them. "Well? What are you going to do? Kill people and take their stuff? I don't know why Maul is still alive, but that can be remedied if you push me hard enough."

Maul's jaw set and there was something dark in his eyes. "I'm with child," he sneered. "No Jedi would hurt an innocent kit."

"If I had to chose between saving the spawn of Darth Maul or saving a Sarlacc, I would take the Sarlacc. Every. Time."

Fox stood in front of them. "Get out, Kenobi. This is my planet now. I won it fair and square. You can either accept this or get lost. I really don't care which, you _Jetii aruetii_." He didn't care that Kenobi understood Mando'a. He just wanted the other man gone and figured that it would be the best way to get him gone. He wasn't disappointed and the Jedi left me quickly. Fox soothed down his hair and nodded to Almec. It was time to let the galaxy know just what had happened.


	22. He's Not Gone Yet

Kenobi wasn't gone yet. Maul should have known that Jedi would have come back. Every time he got something good, it seemed, that Jedi came back and snatched it right out of his hands again. It seemed like he couldn't wait to simply make Maul's life hell. Well, the Zabrak was tired of that and he was about to ban Jedi from the planet all together. He didn't want Kenobi here. Not when he had a kitten on the way and his brother was speaking to him again. Maul didn't think he could take it if he was forced to lose those things all over again. He also didn't have the stomach for the press, too. Not after his child started kicking inside of him. He needed to excuse himself and find the nearest refresher before he pissed the place.

The joys of having an active child. Wasn't it just as fun as you thought it might feel? Feeling the kitten do backflips inside of you and kick all around? There had been times when he envied the Yavinese and the fact that they gave birth after only six months. Not like the Stewjoni, who could take up to twelve if the child wasn't ready to come. Maul thought he still knew where everything was, if Rioli hadn't moved everything. He pressed a kiss to his mate's cheek and let the clone trooper take the reins. He wasn't about to get himself in hot water. For all he knew, he would blather Sidious' name all over the HoloNet... Wait. _That was actually a good idea_ and he needed to do it.

If kids these days could start a campaign to prove that big hairy monsters really did exist in the vacuum of space (they were space slugs of myrnoks if you actually listened to the old spacers), then you could tell the galaxy just who Sidious really was. Maul had long since stopped caring about what his Master thought. Sidious had never cared about him beyond being a slave. That was all he'd ever been. A slave. A slave to be used and abused and tortured by a man who cared nothing about him. Maul might have carried Sheev's child to term, but that was mostly because he could feel the kit and something told him that killing it wouldn't be the best idea he had ever had. It would be right up there with leaving Eogan and Zero for his Master.

That was still something he kicked himself over, all of these years later.

Maul ducked into a servant's tunnel and side stepped the droid. He was tired of this. He was just ready for it all to be over and then he could get a good sleep. With his mate cuddled beside him and maybe Savage, if the other Zabrak would do that for him. Maul purred some at the thought. It was good to be consort, wasn't it? All he had to do was help Fox out with ruling, which he could do, and then he would be set. The Clans knew him. The Southern Clans liked him better than the Northern Clans, but that was just their problem and they could deal with it. Maul let out a small smile as he climbed the stairs and took the back way into the king's private chambers. He was going to have to get this access tunnel walled off, too.

Kenobi rose from where he had been sitting on the bed. "I knew you would come here. I just knew it."

"What do you want from me, Jedi?" Maul hissed. He was very tired and his back was cramping up. The fact that he still dealt with poodoo meant that the birth wasn't for another few days. That and the fact that his system hadn't flushed itself clean. Maul ignored the Jedi and headed into the refresher. Annoying Jedi could wait for a few minutes. "If you want my child, the answer is no. I would say over my dead body, but I'm not in the mood to tempt fate, okay?"

"You murdered my Satine." Thank the gods that Kenobi didn't follow him in there. Maul didn't know what he would have done if the Jedi did. Kenobi was annoying, but Maul got the feeling that he wasn't into flashing. And not sex. No sex. Wasn't that a Jedi thing? Not forming families and not sleeping around? Maul hated to say it, but a lot of Jedi had little families tucked away where no one could find them. Or so they thought. One of those Master Jedi, a Qui-Gon Jinn, had gone back to his homeworld and borne not just one or two, but _three_ children! Maul met one of them, a real sweetheart of a boy named Tenoch. If Fox hadn't been able to help him, Maul would have asked for Tenoch.

"She challenged me to a fight," Maul sighed. He left the refresher and gave Obi-Wan a pointed look as he started tossing clothes off. His chest ached from being confined. How did women deal with this? And why did they want larger ones? Maul's came from having children and they were quite sore to the touch. And very small, but they would be able to feed a kit just fine. And if not, they would have a bottle for it. "She and Pre Vizsla were going to kill me. So I killed them first."

Obi-Wan gave him a long look. "She was a pacifist and you know that. Pull the other leg. That one plays Jingle Bells."

"I highly doubt that," Maul snorted. He flopped down beside the Jedi and grimaced, rubbing his huge belly. He was so ready to have this kit. Not just because he was the size of a space whale, but because he missed being able to train. "She... played people. Like what that book said."

"I didn't know you read."

Maul ignored that comment as he lay back. "Oh... I'm not sure which one...  _The Prince_! That one!" He snapped his fingers as he got it and then sobered as he gave Obi-Wan a look. He could read minds. Not very well, but he could do it. Broadcasting was one surefire way to get him to hear you. And bonus points if you were thinking about sex. Maul had seen a lot of sex daydreams. More than his share, in fact. "She was playing you, Jedi. I don't think she really cared. Not about you. Not about her people. Just about leading. So she used you."

"I know." Sad grey eyes met his and Maul got the feeling that the Jedi was used to sadness. "But that still doesn't mean I didn't love her. And you took her from me."

"She was sleeping around on you," Maul argued. "Not an excuse to kill her, I know, but... she wasn't loyal. She didn't deserve to have the loyalty of a Jedi Knight." He grimaced as he realized what he had said. "She was going to leave you as soon as you took the planet back. Obi-Wan, she played you for a fool and what's worse is that you kept coming back!"

"I know." Obi-Wan turned away. "But that doesn't make it hurt any worse."

Maul nodded. He was surprised when the Jedi did curl up with him, though. Head over his heart and eyes closed. Like a small child looking for something he had been missing for ages. Maul didn't know what he had gotten himself into, so he just sat there and let it work itself out. There wasn't anything else that he could do, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos make me update faster
> 
> Updates (for sure) are once a week


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